Berthoud Pass Ridge 021812

Even though the parking lot was packed, we found great powder even close to the beaten up-track.

Scott gears up in the crowded Berthoud Pass parking lot.

We gathered at a relaxed 7:30 meet time at Woolly Mammoth HH. Scott came down from the north country, and Cathy, Norm, Dave, and I made up the group. Scott drove separately in case we ran late, and the rest piled into the Xterra. We avoided the traffic at Floyd Hill be ducking off the exit to the frontage road, but Scott was trapped in the slow flow so we beat him by 20 minutes to Downieville. Norm graciously treated all to coffee as is his custom, and we made great time to the parking lot at Berthoud Pass.

Dave and Norm buckle up the packs at the parking lot.

There was a chance that we wouldn't get first tracks
on the slopes across from the parking lot.

We scurried across the highway between the onrushing Winter Park traffic, and clicked into the bindings, and headed up the well established up-track (to the left of the slopes in the above picture). Only a couple of the heartiest young punks passed us on the up-track, because, well, that is all there were behind us on the first climb. On the way up, we noticed that the snow looked very tempting on the climbers' right in the trees, and at the top we decided to hit the trees for a warm-up run. The snow was great on top and in the shade, but crusty when we ventured out of the protection of the trees. Still, a great fun run for starters. 

Scott heads down from the top.

Some of the group stopped halfway down at the up-track, but I ventured onward for at least 20' through the lower trees until reaching a lower up-track parallel to the usual track. We skinned up and headed up again. 


This time we continued past the weather station and found our track down to the "Meadows" runs of the old ski area. Somehow, we found untracked powder all the way down to the trees!  It was wonderful.

We ventured into the trees a bit further, then four of us dropped down into the upper part of the chute leading to the aqueduct. Though we all agreed that it was doable, the climb up from the aqueduct convinced us to forgo the run, at least this time. 

Cathy and Norm get ready for the climb out of the chutes.