Backcountry Skiing: Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado Guidebook

by todd | Aug 3, 2022

Backcountry Skiing: Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado
by Mike Soucy
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Beacon Guidebooks:
California: Tahoe Light Tours Colorado: Berthoud Pass | Buffalo | Cameron | CO Light Tours | Crested Butte | Loveland | Marble | Silverton New Mexico: Taos Oregon: Hood Washington: Baker | Crystal | ONP | Snoqualmie | Stevens

“The Park,” as locals know it, is home to some of the most diverse, accessible ski terrain on the Colorado Front Range. The Continental Divide creates a North-South backbone through the Park, and the glacier-carved east side offers long valleys of leeward terrain all the way to timberline. The Park holds the highest concentration of ski mountaineering terrain in the Front Range. Steep, dramatic scenery awaits as soon as you break into the alpine. Here, you will find options from entry-level to expert, from couloirs to alpine bowls. When the challenging midwinter weather or shallow early-season snowpack keeps you below the Continental Divide, fear not. Near- and below-timberline glades and gullies offer adventures in every valley, limited only by your curiosity for exploration. If you’re up for a more social affair, take a lap or two at Hidden Valley, a now-defunct ski area (1955–1991) which has become a gathering spot for everyone from new visitors and families to locals and skimo trainers. The spring months bring a deeper snowpack, more favorable weather, and the opening of Trail Ridge Road, which happens on Memorial Day Weekend in typical snow years. Topping out at over 12,000’, this is the highest paved road in Colorado and gives spring and early summer skiers great access to high alpine terrain. Mount Cumulus, Flattop Mountain, Hallett Peak, Longs Peak, McHenrys Peak, and many others offer classic high summit ski descents for a range of ability levels. April and May are often prime months for these objectives; you can still ski from the parking lot and often have the choice between cold snow or corn. In this first edition, we’ve compiled a list of the classic tours and descents the Park is known for, and included a few lesser-known objectives to spark the veterans’ curiosity. Routes and descriptions have been ground-truthed, vetted for accuracy, and supported by photography in order to provide a reliable planning and decision-making tool for your adventures. Enjoy!
The author and publisher acknowledge that the land described in this atlas is the ancestral home of the Hinono’eiteen (Arapaho) and Núutsi-u (Ute) peoples, who lived on these lands for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. The Arapaho traveled from the plains to and from what is now the east side of RMNP, while the Ute tribe lived along the west side and around what is now Grand Lake. They would also make seasonal trips back to the plains, traveling over the Continental Divide using what we now call the Ute Trail. Oliver Toll’s Arapaho Names and Trails is a great resource for learning more about the history of this land.

Backcountry Skiing: Cameron Pass, Colorado Guidebook

by todd | Nov 9, 2021

Backcountry Skiing: Cameron Pass, Colorado
by Rodney Ley
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Beacon Guidebooks:
California: Tahoe Light Tours Colorado: Berthoud Pass | Buffalo | CO Light Tours | Crested Butte | Loveland | Marble | RMNP | Silverton Oregon: Hood Washington: Baker | Crystal | ONP | Snoqualmie | Stevens

Cameron Pass provides a unique Colorado backcountry skiing experience. Remote and undeveloped, “Cam Pass” also receives a generous amount of snow each winter; good skiing often extends into May. Colorado State Hwy.14, a well-maintained all-weather road over the pass, provides access from east and west. Although Cameron Pass does not cross the Continental Divide, it is the only year-round highway north of Berthoud Pass accessing the western slope. Just 65 miles from Fort Collins and 90 miles from Steamboat Springs, Cameron Pass is a straightforward day trip from many areas in Colorado. During the winter, facilities such as lodging, gas stations, and restaurants are scarce. Cell service on Cameron Pass is spotty to non-existent: only on higher ridges with good line of sight is cell service possible. The Moose Visitor Center, located 9 miles west of Cameron Pass, remains open year-round, providing restrooms and visitor services. At the time of publication, no wifi or cell service exists at this location. Administratively, the area is managed by Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest east of Cameron Pass and by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) on the west side of the pass. Parking and access on the west side of the pass require a CPW Parks Permit. Currently, the National Forest does not require a daily use fee for the eastern side. The author and publisher acknowledge that the land described in this atlas is the ancestral home of the Hinono’eiteen (Arapaho) and Núutsi-u (Ute) peoples, who lived on these lands for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans.

Backcountry Skiing: Buffalo Pass, Colorado Guidebook

by todd | Oct 15, 2019

Backcountry Skiing: Buffalo Pass, Colorado
Colorado Avalanche Information Center
Beacon Guidebooks:
California: Tahoe Light Tours Colorado: Berthoud | Cameron | CO Light Tours | Crested Butte | Loveland | Marble | Silverton | Stevens New Mexico: Taos Oregon: Hood Washington: Baker | Crystal | ONP | Snoqualmie | Stevens

Buffalo Pass is the mecca for backcountry sled-skiers in the Rockies. Nestled in the Park Range of the Rocky Mountains near Steamboat Springs, it is one of the only places in the world where you can drive 15 minutes from a resort, unload a trailer full of snowmobiles, and have a 55-mile network of maintained snow roads on public lands dedicated to mechanized skiing from mid-December til Gaper Day.
The orientation of Buff Pass makes it favorable for significant orographic snowfall in zonal flow, particularly northwest flow patterns. The frigid air from northwest Colorado adds to the magic of “Fluffalo Pass” by providing consistent light and blower powder all winter long. To top it off, Buff Pass competes with Wolf Creek Pass every season for having the deepest snowpack in Colorado. Buffalo Pass also has access to some of the best tree skiing in the world, varying from widely spaced and naturally gladed aspens in mellow terrain to tight and technical aspens and evergreens guaranteed to test any skier.The area boasts some of the oldest and largest old growth aspens in Colorado.There are several stands on the pass that are renowned for their top to bottom skiing amongst quaking aspens such as Forester’s Aspens, Double A’s, GalaxyTrees, and Quaker Bowl. However, the gem of Buff Pass is Soda Mountain. When the skies rip to blue, locals and tourists alike flock to the highest point on the pass for steep chutes, big drops, and technical terrain in Buff Pass’s deep, world class powder.

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