This is obviously not the right season for backcountry skiing, but my twin and I get over 100 days a season here in Utah and we are likely moving to Colorado in the coming years (most likely denver or colorado springs). Our big question is where is all the good backcountry skiing? Pics are great but locations/names will do just fine as well. I know that CO has 50 or so 14ers so there has got to be a place or two that is right up our alley. I tried looking around this site for ideas but it helps to hear from the actual local climbing community. And for all you tight lipped backcountry skiers out there in CO, relax....we are not moving for another year or two, so now you can all sleep easier at night. Thanks for the information in advance and happy trails to all.

Fletch wrote:Too much to mention. Just get out here and go. 14ers.com is as good a place to start as any. Lots of guys that like to ski the 14ers. Come on out, we'll be waitin'...

Ok then where is some bc skiing close to denver? The place does not have to reach 14,000 feet to make us happy...just as long as there is snow. Love Utah's mountains but we just CAN NOT STAND the dominate CULT....oh wait I must have ment culture/conservative scene here. TIME TO MOVE AWAY FOR SURE.

Not a skier myself, but a bit further north you'll find Cameron pass area, up the Poudre Canyon. The entire canyon is hit less than RMNP, and Cameron pass offers some fun stuff. Not 14ers, but you're more likely to find fresh snow IMO (but part of that reason is because it's further away from Denver). Go south into the American lakes area or up towards Richthofen, above Lake Agnes. Beware of avalanches here. Some areas allow snowmobiles so you gotta be aware of them.
I go slowshoeing/winter camping/backpacking up there all the time, so that's how I know what the snow is like. Nice powdery stuff. Also up by Steamboat in the Routt forest, plus the Zirkels. Check out http://www.powderbuzz.com for more specific snow areas/lines/info/conditions. It's also got a direct link to the CAIC site in place, which is the first thing you should know about before BC skiing. The users over at Powderbuzz post updates pretty often, with pics, and are more down the alley of what you're looking to learn about. Forums seem active during season, not sure about off though.

Hey Fellas,

Used to live in Colorado for 8 years, specifically several places around Colorado Springs and Ute Pass.

Yes, there is plenty of skiing to go around. Lots and lots and lots of mountains and faces. The bad news is the snowpack... in a word, it just sucks. In my opinion, the mid-winter powder touring is unmatched in Utah, but the big-mountain spring skiing in Colorado is the big draw.

Off the top of my head to get you started, here are some places to tour closer to the Springs and Denver.
- Pikes Peak: great spring stuff, but pretty limited mid-winter touring due to access, shitty snowpack, etc.
- Berthoud Pass: I'm not even sure if you could call this "touring" since you're in an old resort and will be surrounded by the entire population of Denver, but there are some good runs and it's easy to get to.
- Summit County environs: There are some epic spring lines here, but for mid-winter, try Vail Pass (usually decent pow, good access). I haven't been around there in a long time, but some of the resorts in the area provide access to the backcountry, like Breck. You can almost always ski Quandary Peak via its east ridge safely all year.
-RMNP: some good pow lines, decent winter access

When you guys move and settle in, please shoot me an email and I'll give you some specific ideas for whatever location you decide.

In general, there's just nowhere in Colorado that's like the Wasatch for consistent powder and access.

TyeDyeTwins wrote:This is obviously not the right season for backcountry skiing, but my twin and I get over 100 days a season here in Utah ...

You fuckers are getting only 100 days a year in Utah? Poor bastards. I feel sorry for you. Sounds like Utah sucks.

Shit, I routinely got 120 days on skis every year while living in Colorado Springs.

Not the right season for backcountry skiing? You're right -- I DESPISE skiing summer corn in shorts and a T-shirt. If I am going to get snow up my ass, it has to be fresh, light POW. No corn, it hurts my grommet.

Damn, it must suck in Utah. Obviously, you've never spent July skiing THE LEGEND in shorts and a T-shirt, with reggae music blaring on the speakers, and hundreds of hamburgers roasting on grills in the parking lot. PALLAVICINI RULES! I avert my eyes when a babe in a bikini skis by.

Obviously, you've never spent July jumping off cornices into steep bowls, slogging across muddy creeks down below, and hitch-hiking back up to the pass for another go at the steeps.

In Colorado, the ski season reliably starts in Novemeber and goes until August. Some years it starts in October and goes into September. When is ski season in Utah? What, Thanskgiving to April Fool's Day? Gotta be fool to live in Utah.

Where to backcountry ski in Colorado? You besides all the thousands and thousands of mountains?

You mean besides all of the high mountain passes that are traversed by roads, like Independence Pass, that offer incredibly easy access to long ridges, countless cornice jumps and bowls?

You mean besides the 14ers with roads to the summit that offer great loops of hitch-hike skiing and friggin' steep chutes?

Dang, I never really thought about where to ski besides all of the millions of great places to ski. Oh, I think there are a few places for skate skiing. Been there a few times, but I can't remember where they are.

Sorry, can't help you.

Maybe you should just stay in Utah, where it sucks.

Ed F wrote:Hey Fellas,
The bad news is the snowpack... in a word, it just sucks. In my opinion, the mid-winter powder touring is unmatched in Utah, but the big-mountain spring skiing in Colorado is the big draw.


In general, there's just nowhere in Colorado that's like the Wasatch for consistent powder and access.

Word!

Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:

TyeDyeTwins wrote:This is obviously not the right season for backcountry skiing, but my twin and I get over 100 days a season here in Utah ...

You fuckers are getting only 100 days a year in Utah? Poor bastards. I feel sorry for you. Sounds like Utah sucks.

Shit, I routinely got 120 days on skis every year while living in Colorado Springs.

Not the right season for backcountry skiing? You're right -- I DESPISE skiing summer corn in shorts and a T-shirt. If I am going to get snow up my ass, it has to be fresh, light POW. No corn, it hurts my grommet.

Damn, it must suck in Utah. Obviously, you've never spent July skiing THE LEGEND in shorts and a T-shirt, with reggae music blaring on the speakers, and hundreds of hamburgers roasting on grills in the parking lot. PALLAVICINI RULES! I avert my eyes when a babe in a bikini skis by.

Obviously, you've never spent July jumping off cornices into steep bowls, slogging across muddy creeks down below, and hitch-hiking back up to the pass for another go at the steeps.

In Colorado, the ski season reliably starts in Novemeber and goes until August. Some years it starts in October and goes into September. When is ski season in Utah? What, Thanskgiving to April Fool's Day? Gotta be fool to live in Utah.

Where to backcountry ski in Colorado? You besides all the thousands and thousands of mountains?

You mean besides all of the high mountain passes that are traversed by roads, like Independence Pass, that offer incredibly easy access to long ridges, countless cornice jumps and bowls?

You mean besides the 14ers with roads to the summit that offer great loops of hitch-hike skiing and friggin' steep chutes?

Dang, I never really thought about where to ski besides all of the millions of great places to ski. Oh, I think there are a few places for skate skiing. Been there a few times, but I can't remember where they are.

Sorry, can't help you.

Maybe you should just stay in Utah, where it sucks.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.....we ski all year round regardless of what month it is!!!! I was hoping to get some of the names of the, runs, folks, bowls and canyons, so that I can see if Colorado is up my alley. If we really had to we would just move there and ski whatever has snow. That is what we did at Great Basin National Park and the Lake Tahoe area. I get the feeling that moving to the great CO is gonna be one of the better decisions of our lives. Can't wait to see what you are blabbing about !!! Sierra Lodge Rat there needs to be a sarcastica font. Glad to hear from you tho. Happy Trails

You guys will not disappointed with the Colorado skiing.

The beauty of CO skiing in winter is the access from the high passes. As stated, the spring ski mtneering is pretty amazing here (still can't beat the Tetons tho). I guess I can't speak for the front range, but, in the San Juans you don't have the crowds like in the Wasatch. Granted, I'm sure you can get away from the crowds in the Wasatch (I actually lived in Logan for seveal yrs where there are no crowds either) but I really hated the crowds of bc skiers there. The one thing you will HATE living on the front range is that you are pretty far from the good skiing...especially compared to easy access of the Wasatch. I'll take at least a couple of hrs of driving to get to anything really good (and add on an hr or two if you have to drive I-70!!).

iceisnice wrote:I guess I can't speak for the front range, but, in the San Juans you don't have the crowds like in the Wasatch.

The Wasatch Crowds are massive and that is why when it comes to leaving the crowds I go and ski the Oquirrh Range insted. It may be an hour or so drive but that tends to keep the crowds at bay. I was skinning up Mt. Flagstaff (wasatch range) on a thrusday morning and at 4am there were over 21 people already on the skin track! Can not believe that the Wasatch Powder Pigs...oh wait I meant birds, claim that less than 10 people are spotted skiing a day out in the backcountry. On a side note I can't believe that Alta thinks that the local backcountry skiing community would not care if a lift was put on that slope. Had a chairlift been there that morning I am SURE Mt. Flagstaff would have been closed for avalanche control work. When it comes to big business and Utah, they go hand and hand.....just reason 251 to leave this terrible state!!!!! Watch out Colorado......here we come.