COUNTRY: US   PROVINCE: Montana

TITLE: Cooke City Backcountry

NOTES: Southwest of Billings & Red Lodge deep in the Absaroka Beartooth Range, the backcountry around Cooke City offers plenty of snowmobile accessed backcountry snowboarding. Theres plenty of deep powder in the glacial carved cirques, but watch out for avalanches.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Montana Visitors (800) 847-4868; Cooke City Bike Shack (406) 838-2412; Avalanche Report (406) 838-2341

BREAKFAST JOINT: Stella's Kitchen, Billings

BASE CAMP: Yellowstone Hostel; Big Bear Inn (406) 838-2267

LUXURY LODGE: Soda Butte Lodge (406) 838-2231

ADDITIONAL READING: World Snowboard Guide from Steve Dowle

SEASON: Dec. - Mar.

RATING: Difficult

QUESTIONS?: dlcook@fs.fed.us

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.fs.usda.gov/custer