It has been a long-time goal to ski Ragged Ridge. When weekend snow gave way to sunny skies and corresponded with my day off, I made quick plans with a friend to finally make this trip happen!
The winter access to Ragged Ridge is via the Nordic trail system, so winter visitors must come on xc skis. I know someone who uses a backcountry touring Nordic setup to visit Ragged Ridge, and my friend & I used our Hok skis. Neither snowshoes nor dogs are allowed in the Nordic area. The special grooming sticker is required at Selkirk Lodge, in addition to the regular SnoPark permit.
I gave this trip a "trail difficult/impossible to navigate" rating because the winter route to Ragged Ridge is unmarked. I've done the trip several times in the summer and did a fairly good job of keep us on trail without even stopping to pull out the map, but for those who aren't familiar with the trail here, having the map will be crucial. The first three miles or so are on the Nordic trail system (groomed, tracks set) so that part is easy. It's just the final two miles to Ragged Mountain that can be tricky. We didn't ski all the way to the Idaho border, opting instead to turn around at Ragged Mountain. This made it 10 miles round-trip with nearly 2,000' gain.
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