December brings us early season conditions this year, but we found some good snow and a few rocks in this area south of Berthoud Pass.
Up on the ridge looking north towards Mines Peak and Berthoud Pass.
We met at Woolly Mammoth HH at 7:30. Sandy, Cheryl, and Dave loaded up, and we rolled up the hill to the Evergreen park and ride where we met up with Stuart. We all squeezed into the Xterra, stopped at Downieville, then proceeded to the Pumphouse parking area at the curve before the pass. We had the place to ourselves as we unloaded and skinned up.
Scenic roadside parking.
Sandy and Cheryl head up with snow-camo Xterra at the parking area.
With the storms concentrating on the front range this past week, we decided to check out the secret stash for some close-in snow play.
Cheryl gets ready to work on her gear after a climb to the ridge.
Cathy, Sue, Cheryl, Mark, Norm, and I crawled through the snow-packed streets of Denver to gather at the late hour of 8 am at the CMC parking lot for our latest foray into the wilds. We split the riders between the two Xterras and headed up Clear Creek canyon towards Black Hawk. A silver Xterra passed us in Golden we followed him until we turned off a the Bullwackers gas station. The roads actually improved as we got further into the mountains due to the snow concentrating lower down in town, but after passing through Black Hawk and climbing up the Apex road, the road surface again became snow-packed.
At the trailhead we again ran into the silver Xterra and the congenial driver, Chris, who was doing some solo snowshoeing. He was ready to leave while we were getting our gear together, and we invited him to break trail for us, which he cheerfully agreed to do. It was my first ski outing of the season, and it seemed to take a lot longer to get it together after snowshoeing the last few weeks. Cheryl, Cathy, and Norm were on skis, and Sue and Mark snowshoed. Finally we were all ready and headed up the well-packed trail. We followed Chris' trail along a slightly different route at the first switchback, and soon rejoined the trail and ascended to the saddle. There was a good coverage of snow for the south-facing ascent, but no base to protect us from the rocks. At the saddle, we decided to take the western route that climbed another 400' or so. Powder depths increased in the north-facing trees to about a foot.
Sue and Mark made good time on their snowshoes.
Norm and Cathy take the lead.
Cheryl is happy to be out on her skis.
A bit of new snow adds to the abundant powder from earlier in the week.
We emerge at the bowls.
All that fresh powder was great, but a bit deceiving. The lack of a firm base tripped us up more than once, starting with the first turn for some. In other spots, the powder was deep enough to cover the rocks. So deep that it was tough to keep the tips up. Despite adversity, we managed to get in some wonderful turns.
Meanwhile, the snowshoers broke their own trail over hill and dale, ranging up the ridge towards the peak then down the ridge and over into the adjacent drainage before rejoining the skiers.
With temperatures hovering near 10 degrees, both groups appreciated the lack of wind.
Cathy stays bundled up against the cold.
The skies are clearing, but the sun didn't add much warmth.
Cheryl fought with her gear to the point that we decided to head back from the top. Sue and Mark had stayed with us while we had a late lunch, but they had to keep moving to stay warm, so we played catch up. Our descent was tentative due to the obstacles lurking below the snow, so we didn't see them until the cars. Cathy and Norm managed to squeeze in another run, then climb back to the top of the bowl, so it took them a while to rejoin us. Sue felt the need for a bit more of a workout, and headed off on foot down the road. We loaded up the gear and headed back to town, stopping to pick Sue up.
In Golden we headed over to Capitol Grill for refreshment and warmth.
We braved the howling winds and relative cold to get some exercise in the Jones Pass bowls.
On the Jones Pass road with the bowl in the background.
The sun was shining when we met at 7:30 at the Woolly Mammoth HH lot. The crew included Cathy, Sue, Mark, Dave, and Norm. After a bit of discussion, we mostly agreed to head towards Jones Pass to explore some of the bowls. After the usual stop in Downieville, we proceeded to the trail head. Mark was in the lead when we passed the empty parking area and drove up to the meadow above the Butler Gulch turn off. A friendly herd of feral Toyota pickups surrounded the 2 Xterras as we unloaded and strapped on our snowshoeing gear.
From the meadow, we attempted to find an off-trail route to access the bowls. After an lengthy 5-minute trudge through the steep trees and deadfall, we decided to climb back up to the road where we made much better time. At the second switchback, we left the road to ascend into the bowls. All too soon we left the protection of the trees and headed up through the meadow, attempting to avoid the willows. The group discussed the best route to take, split into two, then re-converged on higher ground. The wind was howling and the snow was sideways at times, making it feel brutally colder than the thermometer said. Luckily the periods of brutal gusts were short, and if felt downright warm when it turned calm. We did a bit more trekking, then huddled into a small grove of trees for the quickest lunch ever. From there, we beat an early retreat back to the road, then down to the cars.
Heading back to the cars.
Stats: 2.8 mi / 1000' / 3.5 hrs.
Jones Pass area slopes map. Trip route in blue. Click on map for larger version.
On Dave's exploratory trip to Pumphouse, we investigated new (for us) ski terrain.
On top of the ridge at Pumphouse.
During the week, Judi got us thinking about places to ski, and Cathy pointed out Dave's suggestion to explore the Pumphouse basin area south of Berthoud Pass. We had skied the Berthoud Pass ridge last season and seen the tracks on the next ridge to the south, but never had skied there, so it was time to explore.
When Cheryl and I met up with Judi, Cathy, Sue, Mark, and Dave at the HH section of Woolly Mammoth parking lot, the sun was out and the sky was looking pretty blue, with only a few high clouds to hint of the predicted storm coming in from the west. Traffic wasn't bad, but it was evident that the ski traffic was beginning as the cars ducked and weaved between lanes on the way to a stop at Downieville. After a refreshing stop and a battery refill for the beacon, we headed up US 40 and stopped at a plowed lot at the last curve just short of the pass. The dueling Xterra's did not need to compete for parking spaces as the lower lot was empty. Judi and Cheryl had skis and snowshoes but the bare ground at the parking lot convinced them both to wear snowshoes for the trip. Cheryl's decision was helped by the fact that she forgot her skins. Judi demonstrated the versatility of her footwear by fitting her tele boots to her snowshoes.
Plenty of grass showed through the snow coverage at the trailhead.
We darted through the traffic to cross the highway, and donned our snowshoes. After a few steps we found ourselves in foot-deep powder. Not quite enough to cover the deadfall, but a delightful experience after months of hard packed snowfields or bare ground. We followed ski tracks part way through the thick trees, then cleared treeline and ascended to the ridge.
Mark and company enjoy the view from the open slopes.
The clouds roll in from the east against the divide.
After gaining the ridge, the group surveyed the area. The wind insured that the stay was brief as we sought a sheltered spot.
Dave and Mark scope out some promising slopes.
Gazing up valley near No Name avalanche chute.
Open ski slopes tempt us.
As we headed down from the ridge, the clouds moved in and the snow showers started.
Storm clouds graze the peak.
Clouds are coming. Lunch is over.
We continued down the valley with several side trips to look at hidden slopes. Ski tracks told the story of other ski trips last week.
Judi, Cathy, and Dave investigate the slope.
Old ski tracks in the trees. Looks like uptracks and down.
Heading into the trees as the snow falls.
Moving downslope with the highway visible.
Eventually we intersected our own up track and most headed down, though others could not resist yet another sidetrack.
We had a good trip to get our snow legs going again, though short by mid-season standards. Soon we were back at the cars and headed towards town. After a stop at Beau Jo's, where we had sandwiches but no french fries, we returned to the park and ride and bid farewell to our crew.
It was another beautiful day on the slopes as we got in our August ski trip.
Bob, Phil, and Cathy ascend the King Lake snowfield.
After the sweltering days of July, we were ready for some cool-down activities, so I gathered the usual suspects Cathy, Bob, and Phil at the Woolly Mammoth park and ride at 7:00. We crammed all our gear into the 4Runner and made our way to Winter Park, with a stop at Berthoud Pass to inspect the facilities. We missed the turnoff for Corona Pass at first because the intersection was just too well marked. My memories go back to when it was a dirt intersection diagonal off the highway, but now the intersection is signed and paved. After a quick U-turn we made it onto dirt and bumped our way up to the pass. Along the way we saw the massive logging efforts to clear the beetle kill. These should make some good runs next winter.
We made a couple of brief stops at the trestle and the last trees before pulling into the parking lot at the top. As we strapped on our gear we noticed another couple of people were getting their skis and snowboards ready.
I was surprised to see that the Corona snowfield covered the road east of the parking lot. We headed for this snowfield first. A brief stroll got us to the top of the snow patch, where we unstrapped the skis and headed down the gentle slope.
Phil climbs the Corona snowfield.
Unstrapping the skis from the packs at the top of the first snowfield.
Photo by Phil.
It was about 9:00 and the snow had softened a bit, but not as much as I would have liked. I was slow to get my tele legs back in gear. Below the road, the slope was flat on top, and steeply dipping below. Cathy and I stayed high, Phil went halfway down, and Bob took it all the way down.
First run with a look back to the snowfield crossing the road.
Bob makes his way up from the bottom of the snowfield. Photo by Phil.
While waiting for Bob to climb the steep slopes back to the road, we took several mini-laps on the flats. Finally my legs started to regain the muscle memory they had so easily forgotten. This section lived up to its reputation gained on an old trip report from last July.
From here, we strapped on the skis for the hike towards King Lake. We hiked out to the point jutting out to the north to try to get a sense of the slopes at the King Lake snowfield, then headed over to the high point of the snow.
View to the northwest showing the point.
The King Lake snowfield is between the point and the ridge.
View at the top of the King Lake snowfield.
King Lake from the top of the snowfield.
Phil had to be discouraged from dropping off the steepest part. I invited him to try it on someone else's trip and opted for the safe route down the flat top part of the snowfield, then a traverse back under the steeps.
Phil had to be discouraged from doing this drop down the steeps.
Photo by Phil.
The lower part of the snowfield gradually got less steep, but we were always conscious of the consequences of a missed step or dropped equipment. Bob reminded us of the importance of self-arrest techniques.
Traversing along the slightly less steep part of the slope.
After the traverse, we skied a few runs on the lower part of the slopes. The slope angle made for softer snow as the day went on.
Bob and Phil ski down to Cathy.
Phil and Cathy get ready to ski down.
Bob, Cathy, and Phil on their way down.
We had our spectators, of the 2-legged and 4-legged kind, though the 4-legged seemed more interested in unattended packs than our tele technique.
Are you going to finish that sandwich?
Eventually we had enough and climbed up the snow to the trail.
Back on top, we watched the AT skier and snowboarder drop off Phil's precipice, then made our way back to the cars.
Group photo at the top.
On the way out of Winter Park, traffic stopped to gawk at the moose on the side of the road. So did we.
