The resort is owned and operated by ben and jenna bartosz who both have many years of guiding experience. Montezuma, colorado population 42, elevation 10,200 feet 3,109 metres montezuma is located near the resort of keystone, colorado and provides some handy parking for backcountry skiers interested in sometime quiet destinations like st johns or the hunki dori and wild irishman mines. Somewhat suncupped but still skiable if you take it easy in some areas. Breckenridge colorado backcountry, telemark skiing alltrips. A locals guide to the best backcountry ski spots in aspen. The snow is still in from the from the upper parking area up to near the crest of the northwest ridge above the upper basin. New backcountry skiing book from colorado mountaineers offers guide to lines of all kinds frank and brittany walker konsella have climbed and skied all the states fourteeners. Hike, bike, and ski guides crested butte colorado backcountry. Vail powder guides vail, co backcountry snowcat skiing.
Colorado native topher straus left the state to attend syracuse. The montezuma area is part of the front range in summit county. Facebook page for online guidebook, central colorado backcountry skiing including marble area. Tr montezuma basin, colorado the backcountry ski touring blog. Montezuma, colorado population 42, elevation 10,200 feet 3,109 metres montezuma is located near the resort of keystone, colorado and provides some handy parking for backcountry skiers interested in sometime quiet destinations like. The best part of our colorado ski week is cat skiing at keystone. Traverse a high alpine ridgeline to a snowcovered summitmaybe even 14,265 ft quandary peakand ski back to where you started. Aiare level 1 hutbased crested butte aiare level 1 hut. Unknown i have very fond memories of skiing montezuma basin as a teenager.
In the summer of 1972 i attended two back to back summer ski racing camps run by rick rosen. The town of montezuma is a statutory town located in eastern summit county, colorado, united states. We made a couple of laps on a short section of turns. The most popular trail is porcupine gulch ski resort. Facebook page for online guidebook, central colorado backcountry skiing including marble area, elk mountains, aspen, glenwood springs, carbondale. Come and experience for yourself some of the best backcountry hiking, skiing, backpacking and snowshoeing in summit county. As the sport of backcountry skiing developed here in colorado, i wrote and published in 1986 the states first modern ski mountaineering guidbook, colorado high routes, which was second editioned and substantially improved in 1991. New backcountry skiing book from colorado mountaineers offers guide to lines of all kinds frank and brittany walker konsella have climbed and skied all. To go backcountry skiing or snowboarding in colorado is to answer the call of the wild. Montezuma road the area around montezuma has a variety of terrain and routes great for either family outings or hardcore thrill seeking teleskiers. If youre visiting aspen for the first time, here are a few places to point your uptrack.
New backcountry skiing book from colorado mountaineers offers. The snow fields in the montezuma region of colorado are some of the best in the area for snowmobiling. It also offers night skiing on certain dates, one of the few colorado resorts to do so. Smaller than the nearby locations of vail pass and piney lake, what montezuma lacks in size it easily makes up for in small, almost nonexistent crowds and deep untouched powder. From the sprawling ranges of rocky mountain national park to the icy granite. Porcupine gulch ski resort, located near keystone, colorado is a 2. Some of the areas listed here cross over into neighboring counties.
When sun valley built the first chairlift in 1936, it helped usher in the skiing boom of the mid20th century. The town population was 65 at 2010 united states census. A few years later, in 2014, he published the first edition of backcountry skiing silverton colorado. Backcountry skiing provides the opportunity to extend your ski season and experience something few skiers ever will, skiing powder in solitude. Dave is pleased to be working with colorado adventure guides since 2016. Some of the coaches were andrl molterer, ernst hinterseer and max was the director. Keystone has a terrain park and snowcat skiing available. Southern front range, montezuma, chihuahua gulch, and the west side of the. Summit county backcountry guides colorado adventure guides. The author with the fabled stop hammertime sign just outside of montezuma. While we appreciate highspeed, heated gondolas with wifi, theres also a place in. The guide was updated for a second edition in december 2016, and.
While this backcountry area offers stunning views, finding ski routes can be challenging. As for backcountry snowmobiling, timbersledding, skiing, and snowboarding. Rocky mountain guides ski tours in the dillon ranger district as well as in the south platte ranger district. Frank and brittany walker konsella have climbed and. If you dont have backcountry touring skis or snoeshoes, you can rent them at. Colorado highway 3 reaches its apex at mcclure pass, a forested divide separating the crystal river valley from a vast backcountry area known as grand mesa. We accommodate students from neverevers to folks who have skied for years.
New backcountry skiing book from colorado mountaineers. Experience colorados finest snow, away from the crowds and lift tickets. Aspen is home to an insane amount of backcountry skiing terrain, ranging from easy and safer to allout extremo. He enjoys backcountry skiing, virgin snow, surfing, and camping and prefers darker alleys to lit streets. Backcountry books guide books and maps for backcountry skiing, off piste skiing and snowboarding, ski touring and splitboarding. Skiing magazine and estes park locals shares tips on backcountry skiing in rocky mountain national parks hidden valley and where to eat after a day of winter play. Learn to crosscountry ski and get prepared for backcountry trails using classic nordicstyle technique. Mapped below are the skiable lines in montezuma as well as the rest of the summit front range. Colorado 2017 book by brittany and frank konsella featuring insights to unique winter backcountry and spring ski mountaineering routes across the state. Backcountry skiing montezuma basin colorado the backcountry. The local avalanche hotline in the area can be reached at 970 6680600. Jan 11, 2017 to go backcountry skiing or snowboarding in colorado is to answer the call of the wild. Up to montezuma basin, colorado yesterday for august backcountry skiing. Today, montezuma is often listed as one of the top scenic places in colorado.
Mapped below are the skiable lines in montezuma as well as the rest of the summit front range which includes hoosier ridge, baldy bald mountain and mt. No other backcountry skier has carved as many turns in this region as lou dawson. Beautiful and easy backcountry skiing trails near denver boulder. Natural avalanche destroys house near montezuma, colorado. The funky former mining town just outside of keystone is now known as a gold mine for backcountry snowmobilers and. Jan 31, 2018 our favorite colorado ski tours in the front range colorados mountain ranges are a testament do its rich history of skiing.
These are five of our favorite backcountry ski areas. We suggest going with a local, someone who knows the area and following their instructions. From the legendary 10th mountain division, to breeding some of the worlds most renown and famed racers, athletes, and explorers, colorados front range backcountry is among one of the most famed around the world. Thankfully, there a plenty of guided tours available in the town of montezuma. Sheepshead cabin southern colorado snowmobile accessed. San juan mountain guides 725 main street ouray, co 81427.
The colorado avalanche information center published the following video that takes a look at a large natural avalanche that destroyed an unoccupied house in peru creek near montezuma, colorado on january 10, 2017. Our favorite colorado ski tours in the front range colorados mountain ranges are a testament do its rich history of skiing. Here is the current backcountry avalanche forecast from colorado avalanche information center caic. Backcountry skiing routes for central colorado, aspen, carbondale. You should never venture into the backcountry without a probe, a shovel, a beacon, a first aid kit, and expert proficiency in using all of these things. Skiing magazine volkens new book backcountry skiing with coauthors scott schell and margaret wheeler is indeed a magnum opus. You dont need a lift ticket or a trail pass to go backcountry skiing. East vail also known as ev and also known for avalanche danger and the lives of some, when the conditions are right, the skiing is too.
All of the terrain in summit county should be considered high avalanche risk. Montezuma, colorado wild irishman mine cabin 01062007. Due to the financial issues of publishing a small demand book that required frequent. Backcountry skiing in summit county best of breckenridge blog. Classifieds real estate jobs special sections business directory todays ads coupons. A primer to cross country skiing in colorado for the. The guide was updated for a second edition in december 2016, and the app went live a few months. Vail powder guides offers over 3500 acres of navigable terrain. Hidden valley also has some great snowshoeing so, while enjoying your runs be aware of your surroundings.
Snowmobileaccessed backcountry located 10 miles to the southeast of wolf creek ski area, and sitting at an elevation of 11,960 on 40 acres of private land overlooking elwood pass, the sheepshead cabin provides access to peaks up to,300, and to over 30,000 ridable acres of some of the snowiest mountains in colorado. The artery of colorados backcountry, montezuma is located just east of keystone. They hold extensive local knowledge about avalanche safety, route planning, high quality ski runs, locations to find the best pow, and ways to reach colorado s most amazing vistas. With over 3000 acres of skiing, it has terrain to suit everyone, from beginner terrain to backcountry expert skiing. Coloradopart of the popular seriesincludes backcountry routes focused on the front range and the san juans, with other routes in the sawatch range, elk mountains, mosquito range, and more. They hold extensive local knowledge about avalanche safety, route planning, high quality ski runs, locations to find the best pow, and ways to reach colorados most amazing vistas. How to get into backcountry skiing or snowboarding in colorado. New backcountry skiing book from colorado mountaineers offers guide to lines of all kinds. Backcountry snowcat skiing in vail vail powder guides.
Backcountry skiing colorado, routes north of fryingpan road. Please be sure to read that every day if youre a backcountry user. These are the easternmost mountains in the rocky mountains, and are the first to greet visitors traveling to colorado from the east. The slide ran 2000 vertical feet down the maid of orlean slide path. We had great fun skiing there in the summer months. Backcountry skiing berthoud pass is now available as a book and an app. The area around montezuma has a variety of terrain and routes great for either family. Nov 09, 2017 a few years later, in 2014, he published the first edition of backcountry skiing silverton colorado. Relax refill your tanks on gourmet meals, having the time of your life. Feb 28, 2018 the best part of our colorado ski week is cat skiing at keystone. Their passion about providing quality mountain experience in the colorado backcountry is what sets them apart from the rest. Montezuma is located off loveland pass, which is co6. Furthermore, he has dedicated himself with the same level of perfection to assembling useful guidebooks, and colorado backcountry skiing is the latest in a long line of classics.
When going backcountry skiing, remember that the conditions are much different than those at a resort. And when untracked lines take the place of lift lines, a smile is sure to spread across your face. Between the continental divide, the gore range and the ten mile range, we will find the best tour and conditions for you. The front range runs from south central wyoming to central new mexico. For the first installment in our new adventure video series. While the chair mountain area south of the pass is somewhat restricted because of private land, a classic colorado massif known as huntsman ridge provides a huge playground north of.
Come april and may, montezuma is home to some of the best and freshest backcountry lines in summit county if you know where to go. Dawsons guide to colorado backcountry skiing, volume 1. Not only is this one of the most current backcountry skiing howtos ive ever seen, but it covers an amazing gamut of informationan example is chapter 2 decisionmaking in avalanche. Apr 28, 2016 come april and may, montezuma is home to some of the best and freshest backcountry lines in summit county if you know where to go. The town is a former mining camp that sits at an elevation of 10,200 feet 3,110 m, just west of the continental divide, nestled among mountains that reach an elevation of 12,000,000 feet 3,7004,000 m around it. Backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, and aiare avalanche education programs in the san juan mountains of colorado, between durango and ouray. Elks and sawatch, including large snowfields in montezuma basin and snowmass. A compendium of resources for backcountry skiers and snowboarders. It also offers night skiing on certain dates, one of. Summit county backcountry skiing colorado adventure guides. Keystone has 5 backcountry skiing snowboarding trails.
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