JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2236
Loc: Virginia
|
|
During my recent ski trip, we shared the snowcat with some skiers from Bozeman, MT near Bridger Bowl and Big Sky/Moonlight Basin. They liked the uncrowded areas near them but made the drive for an even more private ski experience on a snowcat. We talked about other places where there are so few skiers that you can make your own tracks.
There's the budget alternative of backcountry where you earn your turns by climbing but you're limited in the number of runs and you'd better understand how to use an avalanche beacon, probe and shovel. There's also the expensive heli-skiing option, where you share a run with just a few other skiers and have a large number of mountains at your disposal. They also mentioned the Yellowstone Club next to Big Sky where the super-rich can buy into a lifestyle of private powder and ski with Warren Miller and a few other moguls. They also mentioned Silverton in Colorado, which is lift-served backcountry where you need guides and avalanche preparation.
My memories of the mining town of Silverton are from the summer on the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Durango. Anyone know more about skiing there or other uncrowded places?
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
Silverton CO
Wolf Creek CO ( my personal favorite)
Purgatory CO
Grand Targhee WY
Jay Peak VT
those are a good start for inbounds lift serviced uncrowded skiing...out of bounds, the list is way too long but there is still plenty out there....
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
if untracked skiing is all you want you can even get that at the majors if you know how..for instance...if I get right on the first chair Sunday morning at Keystone....shoot right up and zoom down the backside of the main mountain and then jump on the North Peak quad...I can easily get first tracks on at least 2 trails on North Peak...then as soon as I see people coming up that mountain I zoom down the backside of North Peak and head right to the Outback quad ...shoot up there and usually get 1 or 2 first tracks on that mountain as well...then I start to ski my way back to the main mountain and I am off like a prom dress just as the masses are congregating, having had better skiing then they will see all day...but thats a Sunday morning only deal....you cant do that on a Saturday morning.....Sunday is doable because half the tourists are too hungover from Saturday night to get first tracks...and the other half are slowed down by the effects of elevation after a prior days skiing....
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2236
Loc: Virginia
|
|
I've been to all those except Silverton. I think that opened in the last few years. Have you been there?
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
I have...its VERY steep ...and very wild...and very uncrowded
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
all the mountains in the southwest side of the state have gotten the lions share of snow for the past 5 years...400 inches plus...this year the snow machine has shifted northward a bit and they are hurting down there , while we are ass deep in it ( over 300 inches and still going strong )...this storm tonight is literally the first good dump they have gotten down there all year as this particular low is tracking over them, instead of morth of them as it has been
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2236
Loc: Virginia
|
|
Silverton sounds great. Must be tough to get to in the winter over Red Mountain Pass. I assume they try to keep the road open.
I've also wanted to try Irwin Lodge - a snowcat operation west of Crested Butte. It's a beautiful place.
I used to ski pretty often at Monarch which was convenient to the Springs and usually not crowded midweek. Powder would last all day there and they had a snowcat operation as well.
I've probably skied more powder at Snowbird and Alta than anyplace else. The weather systems come in sucking up moisture off the Great Salt Lake and getting funneled up Little Cottonwood Canyon until orographic lift forces them to dump their load. It's certainly not uncrowded but with some climbing and local knowldege, you can find untracked stuff all day after a dump.
|
LindaP
Reged: 03/15/03
Posts: 209
Loc: Albany, NY
|
|
Josh,
They do keep the road open in Silverton...my son worked there last year, they have guided skiing and may have gone to un-guided this yr? Unsure, as now my son has moved on to snow board patrol at Sierra-at_tahoe. Yeah, he said the snow finally arrived!!!!! Great pic of Heavenly! LindaP
|
JoshA
Reged: 08/28/05
Posts: 2236
Loc: Virginia
|
|
Linda: I looked at Silverton's web site which says they will allow unguided skiing starting March 31. I'm not sure why the calendar should make any difference. Avalanche danger is high in April.
From their web site: "Most people are fully whipped by the end of a Silverton Day. Due to the lenghty process of extricating injured skiers we have to stop loading the lift by 3:15- 3:30 (depending on time of year). However with the earlier starting time, faster morning process, and better grouping, many skiers will be able to attain more vertical."
Sounds hardcore! Nearby as the crow flies (but about 80 miles on the road) is Telluride whose scenery is about as spectacular as Heavenly. It almost looks fake.
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
make no mistake about it Silverton is hard core...anyone less then expert level AND not in reasonably good shape should go somewhere else....the few times I was there it was excellent......very raw, challenging skiing....no sushi...no espresso bars....no valet parking.....and none of those types of people who need that sort of thing as well...LOL
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
and Telluride is fake....they sold out...they are a little Aspen now....as are the prices....kiss this one good bye ...we lost it to the beautiful people and their developer friends......and it was one sweet little town not to long ago
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
Mike R
Reged: 05/26/03
Posts: 15725
Loc: Stinson Lake - New Hampshire
|
|
Crested Butte continues to buck the trend and continue to stay as a REAL ski town..and pretty sweet mountain as well....CB also has the most amazing wild flower bloom in May that I've ever seen...
--------------------
karma is a beautiful thing at times
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Uncrowded skiing
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: 