The first winter I moved to Leadville (2019-20) Matt White and I were one another’s main ski partners, logging many early mornings on Chicago ridge near Ski Cooper and exploring Leadville east. That was my first winter backcountry skiing, and Matt and I learned a lot together. After a few winter’s away, Matt moved back to the area and we are both excited to be skiing together again! We’ve spent quite a few ski days together this season: a few moonlight skis, some resort days at A-basin and Copper Mountain, and some incredible powder tours on Chicago ridge. With the READ MORE
Category: Ski Mountaineering
Oh What Big Eyes You Have Couloir
Mark, Parker and I set out to do an aesthetic line that had peaked our attention last season. The “Oh What Big Eyes You Have” Couloir sits off of East East Red peak. It consists of a steep continuous ski, down a 20 ft hallway made up of tall cliffs on either side. Date: May 7, 2021 Distance: approx. 9.5 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 3700‘ Trailhead: Gore Range Trail We got up early for another ski, but after our adventure on La Plata, this start felt fairly mild. We started up the Gore Range trail in the dark, enjoying the READ MORE
Skiing La Plata Peak
Date: April 29, 2021 Distance: 8 miles round trip Elevation Gain: approx 4,200′ Trailhead: La Plata trailhead La Plata peak had been on Parker’s ski list for a while and when we viewed the north face at the break of day, Mark and I could see why. The face boasts a beautiful web of snowfields, couloirs and rock outcroppings. The early spring skiing start was especially challenging for me. I had gone to a pool session (to learn to roll a kayak) the night before in Alamosa. I didn’t get back to Leadville, and bed, until 11 pm with my READ MORE
Twelve hours and a midnight start: Skiing Mt. Daly
Date: May 23, 2020 Distance: approx. 14 miles round trip Elevation Gain: approx. 5000′ Trailhead: Snowmass Creek Mark had set his sights on mountain biking and all but put away his ski boots when Parker called us with a flash of inspiration: ski Mt. Daly. I was working in Aspen for a couple months before I started thru-hiking the CDT, so all of us were in the Roaring Fork valley making the adjacent peak a perfect objective. Mark and Parker had surely spent many a day gazing at the face of Mt. Daly which stands out even against the backdrop READ MORE
A Little Line off of Woods Peak
Date: April 18, 2021 Distance: 4.8 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 2,600′ Trailhead: Watrous Gulch As the spring snowpack consolidated, Mark and I found our first day to take advantage of it this season. With a fairly restrained time window, we decided to ski something with a short approach that allowed for easy skiing. We decided on Woods peak which sits just North of I-70, not an hour drive from Denver where Mark is currently living. There were several other groups leaving from the trailhead when we parked around 7 am. Different groups were choosing different strategies to navigate the READ MORE
Skiing Torrey’s Peak: Emperor Couloir
This was another ski line we were lucky enough to undertake during the initial COVID-19 lock down. Mark, Parker and I skied this line only two days after Mark and I had skied the Dead Dog couloir on the East facing side of Torrey’s peak. Usually a popular peak for spring skiing, we were lucky to be the only party out there for both outings. Emperor couloir is located on the North face of the peak and we now enjoy the pleasure of seeing the line we skied every time we drive by on I-70. Date: April 9, 2020 Distance: READ MORE
Skiing Torrey’s Peak: Dead Dog Couloir
Date: April 7, 2020 Distance: approx. 11 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 4,500 ‘ Trailhead: Bakerville exit Dead Dog Couloir is a prominent feature on the East face of Torrey’s peak. Easy access from I-70 makes this steep aesthetic line a popular ski. Mark and I used the stable spring snow as an opportunity to try it out ourselves. Starting at the Bakersville exit, we hiked up the dirt road, now snowed in, for about three miles before reaching the summer trailhead. We turned off onto the trail and followed the valley up towards Gray’s and Torrey’s peaks. Once we READ MORE
Mt Elbert: hike, ski, slog
Date: April 5, 2020 Distance: approx. 12 miles round trip Elevation Gain: 5,000 ‘ Trailhead: South Mt Elbert Trailhead Mark and I set out to ski the box couloirs on Mt Elbert on April 5th 2020. The springtime snowpack had begun to consolidate and we thought it a good time to try something steeper. We started hiking around 6 am, making our way up the well traveled to trail , only a 30 minute drive from Leadville. To start our hike, we headed up a frozen 4×4 road, that we didn’t want to drive on but were happy to enjoy READ MORE
Skiing Quandary Peak: Everyone’s first 14er
Shortly after lockdown in March 2020, Mark, Matt and I had established ourselves, along with my roommate, as a small bubble in Leadville. We were lucky to be where we were with access to lots of time outside in a relatively rural area. We enjoyed a lot of luxury during this time that other people did not. For that I am extremely humbled. Date: March 16, 2020 Distance: 6 mi roundtrip Elevation Gain: 3400′ Trailhead: Quandary Trailhead On March 16, 2020, Matt Mark and I hiked and skied Quandary Peak. It’s just over three miles from the popular trailhead to READ MORE