McMillan Peak - backcountry skiing

McMillan Peak - backcountry skiing

Page Type Page Type: Album
Additional Information Image Type(s): Skiing

Overview

McMillan Peak is a mountain summit in San Juan County, Colorado. McMillan Peak climbs to 12,805 feet (=3,903 meters) above sea level. It is a very popular peak, easily reachable from the top of Red Mountain Pass.

Trailhead: 11,060 feet (the best place to park your car is the second parking lot on the top of Red Mountain Pass, on the east side).
There is a dirt road in the summer, and usually a well ski marked trail in the winter. You just follow this trail heading in the southeast direction. You will see several old mining structures along this stretch. Soon, about 1 mile, you will see a sign for Saint Paul Lodge.

Saint Paul Lodge: 11,400 feet (only 340 feet gain), distance 1 mile.
Continue towards southeast and soon you will see a gentle rounded peak - ridge leading to the top of McMillan Peak. There are usually many ski tracks here, and the skiing is superb. There are many options, nice bowls, and lower sections offer great tree skiing.
McMillan Peak is a great place for a beginner since there are many choices for an easy terrain.

On the way to Saint Paul lodge

The trail is described above, and it is easy to follow in the marks of other skiers.

Boys from SilvertonSilverton boys
Sign pointing to the lodgeSign
Saint Paul LodgeSaint Paul Lodge
Almost back Artistic?
Near Red Mountain PassNear Red Mountain Pass


From the lodge to the top of the peak

There are usually several path leading from the lodge to the top of the mountain. I just followed in the ski steps of other skiers (this is a very popular destination for back country skiing). The general direction is southeast. You cannot see the real top for a long time, and the slope is very gentle.

False summit 
And final push 
Trico Peak again 
Come Duchess, come 
Tree skiing 

Bighorn Sheep

Bighorn Sheep is a species of sheep in North America with large horns. These horns can weigh up to 30 lbs (14 kg), while sheep themselves weigh up to 300 lbs (140 kg). They are considered good indicators of land health because the species is sensitive to many human-induced environmental problems.

Bighorn Sheep Bighorn Sheep
Bighorn sheep Bighorn sheep
 
I almost ran my car into this guy I almost ran my car into this guy

External Links



Images

View McMillan Peak - backcountry skiing Image Gallery - 39 Images

Comments

Post a Comment
Viewing: 1-8 of 8

ojo - Jan 26, 2011 5:25 am - Voted 10/10

great album..

...once again :) ¡saludos!

Liba Kopeckova

Liba Kopeckova - Jan 26, 2011 9:05 am - Hasn't voted

Re: great album..

thanks Jane!

visentin

visentin - Feb 1, 2011 8:07 am - Voted 10/10

back-country skiiing

Liba,
Perhaps you're the person that can answer me on this topic :
http://www.summitpost.org/phpBB3/ski-disciplines-t57409.html
What do you call exactly back-country skiiing ? same as skitouring ?

Liba Kopeckova

Liba Kopeckova - Feb 1, 2011 9:07 am - Hasn't voted

Re: back-country skiiing

I have AT set up, skins up, and off skins down. It is specific for skiing, special AT boots (randonee), I still need to get skis which would fit my climbing boots - so much gear...

visentin

visentin - Feb 1, 2011 3:54 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: back-country skiiing

what does AT mean ?
I understood you are ski-touring... (ski de randonnee in french as you wrote) looking at one pic the boots are well visible. The kind of ski I asked about in the forum looks like something half and half between this and cross country skiing.. no idea how to say it in english or french

Liba Kopeckova

Liba Kopeckova - Feb 1, 2011 3:58 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: back-country skiiing

Alpine Touring

Scott Wesemann

Scott Wesemann - Feb 17, 2011 12:09 pm - Voted 10/10

Amazing photos

I really enjoyed your album. Nice!

Liba Kopeckova

Liba Kopeckova - Feb 17, 2011 5:03 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Amazing photos

Thank you for visiting. Well, a nice place makes taking photos easy.

Viewing: 1-8 of 8


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

McMillan PeakAlbums