Ski trails around the Izaak Walton Inn [1] in Essex are free to hotel guests; nonguests can pay a few dollars for a day pass. More than 20 miles of trails are groomed regularly, and though most of them are geared toward novice or intermediate skiers, a few runs are studded with face-plant opportunities, even for good skiers.
If there’s fresh powder, leave the trails for a while and practice making graceful turns down the sides of Dickey Bowl. (It’s right behind the trail system.) Most trails are also OK for snowshoers. It’s worth venturing away from the inn’s trail system into Glacier National Park [2] for at least one day of skiing. Guests who’d rather not go it alone can sign on to a guided tour.
Après-ski at the Izaak Walton means a visit to the inn’s sauna, then hanging out in the lobby to watch the trains go by. There’s usually enough snow for skiing from Thanksgiving through mid-April.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/montana/glacier-national-park/west-glacier-and-the-flathead-river-middle-fork/accommodations/over-100
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/montana/glacier-national-park