From the sprawling ranges of Rocky Mountain National Park to the icy granite
pinnacles of the Indian Peaks Wilderness and the jagged ridges of the Gore Range,
Colorado is a backcountry skier’s paradise. From mellow, low angled, cruisy hills to
thrilling steep couloir drops, the backcountry of the Centennial State offers an area
for every taste and every level. These are five of our favorite backcountry ski areas.
Indian Peaks Wilderness
Deep granite cirques, rocky buttresses, and sprawling slopes make the Indian Peaks,
just an hour west of Boulder, a beloved spring ski destination. There are plenty of
opportunities for great ski mountaineering, especially on peaks such as Mt.
Audubon, which features moderate couloirs on its north and south faces ending at
Blue Lake. The windblown summit means that avalanche-danger is mostly
mitigated, even if it takes careful consideration like any other peak. Mt. Audubon’s
Crooked Couloir starts at a 35-degree angle and quickly steepens leading to the
shores of the lake in the granite bowl. Another peak, Mt. St. Vrain offers an easy
climb on skins to the summit and a fun downhill across three summits on
windblown terrain at an angle of 25 to 30 degrees.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is one of North America’s most classic backcountry
ski destinations. Highlights include peaks such as the East Face of Flattop Mountain,
the Hidden Valley Backcountry Area, and the Dragontail Couloir, one of Colorado’s
most classic descents; make the Rockies prime for an excellent ski day. Set between
Hallett’s Peak and Notchtop, Flattop Mountain follows a fun easy to follow skin track
and a low-angle (30-degree) descent down the East Face. It’s a great beginner to
moderate introduction to ski mountaineering in the Rockies. The former ski area of
Hidden Valley now features exciting drops with low avalanche danger, with angles
of up to 38-degrees in deep, powdery snow. Crossing Trail Ridge Road, the skin
track heads to expert terrain, while the descents underneath the road are tuned for
beginner to intermediate skiers and snowboarders. The Tyndall Gorge above
Emerald Lake offers exciting alpine ascents and steep descents, especially on the
famed Dragontail Couloir, a 1500-foot narrow drop into the Emerald Lake basin.
The Couloir is as fun to climb as it is to descent, however snow accumulation at the
top creates a moderate avalanche danger. On days when the snow is soft, it’s
possible to start from the summit of Flattop Mountain and drop all the way down to
Emerald Lake.
Tenmile Range
Those looking to ski their first Colorado 14er should look towards the East Ridge of
Quandary Peak in the Tenmile Range. With an easy ascent and descent on a wide
snowfield, the climb and descent is fun against a spectacular alpine backdrop. The
climb to the top is relatively low-angle and the descent involves coming down the
wide East Slope into a bowl, which drives all the way down to the tree line. Since the
summit, ridge, and East Face are all very exposed, the snow becomes very deep
powder on cloudless days. While the skiing on Quandary and the other peaks of the
Tenmile Range is fun, be wary of high avalanche danger due to the large amounts of
snow that the peaks receive.
Berthoud Pass
Just outside of Winter Park with a mesmerizing view of the Continental Divide,
Berthoud Pass is one of Colorado’s most iconic backcountry areas. A former resort,
Berthoud is one of the newer backcountry areas that offer drops from 11,000-feet
on moderate to expert terrain. The pass will see over 500-inches of snow annually,
and take storms from the east and the west, giving the snow a pristine feel. The skin
tracks follow the path of old ski lifts and the drops follow long, steep, and exposed
lines. Because of the steep lines and large amounts of snowfall, there is high
avalanche danger and much caution must be taken. There are a tremendous amount
of options here and many bring skiers right into Winter Park where they can get a
shuttle back to the car.
The Gore Range
At the heart of Summit County, the Gore Range is nearly Alaska-esque in nature,
featuring serrated summits, rocky ridges, and tough ascents and descents that will
challenge the best of backcountry skiers. Those who venture into this wild range
will find deep un-carved bowls, drainages, and wide-open basins with miles upon
miles of an alpine playground. Down below, short skin trails lead to magnificent
drops between fir and spruce, while higher up, steep climbs lead to thin couloirs
leading to a series of cirques and basins. For those looking for a wild adventure in an
alpine paradise, the Gore Range is relatively unexplored and has near-endless
possibilities.
