The month of April has come and gone and it feels like things are rapidly heading towards summer below 12,000 ft around here. Statistically, despite Denver and the Front Range being above 100% SWE on the season, we’re at 71% of the median for the state as a whole. Though truncated spring seasons can be frustrating, they can also make for a good excuse to return to reliable lines on peaks close to home and just enjoy the skiing for what it is, while it lasts. Read more…
Last Sunday morning Dylan Friday and I ripped off our skins and skied down to the base of Ajax Mountain, completing the Grand Traverse ski race from Crested Butte to Aspen two and a half years in the making. After being cancelled due to COVID only a couple weeks before race day last year, it was time for redemption for many racers this year and those who stuck with it were rewarded with one of the finest nights the event has seen in its 23-year history.
Dylan and I first signed up for this one in late-2019 and put together a pretty solid training regimen throughout the winter leading into March of 2020. After the race was cancelled we took the option of rolling over to 2021. Fast forward a year and we approached the race with cautious optimism the second time around. Though numerous races have gotten back onto their feet over the last 6 months, the Grand Traverse entails several aspects beyond COVID that need to fall into line to successfully pull off a race to Aspen. Keep reading…
This past weekend Dylan and I headed up for a morning tour on Gore Ridge, in part to continue training for the Grand Traverse but also because he had skied up there a few days prior and reported back soft and stable conditions up high. Finally. Truth be told I haven’t skied much backcountry this season thus far. Apart from a few huts and sled skiing days up on the pass with Rick and company, it’s been pretty much all resort skiing and skinning for me and I’ve been fine with that. Patience is almost never a bad thing when it comes to this sport, and this has felt like a good season to sit tight and be patient. Read more…
Rick, Justin and I set off from Shrine Pass this past Saturday after a short ride/tow up the road on Rick’s sled. A ten minute jaunt east had us atop the Black Cliffs area, where we skied several short laps down to the meadows below. We had been to this area early season before and it has always delivered some decent turns for us thus far. Keep reading…
