Apex / Jenny Lind Gulch 051411 or Gorillaz in the Mist

A misty foggy day at lower elevation salvaged the day with surprising spring skiing.

Wendy materializes out of the fog.

Cathy rounded up the usual suspects, including Wendy, Cheryl, Sandy, Diane W, Bob, Phil, and Fred.  We departed from the lot across from the CMC and headed up US 6 towards Blackhawk.  After a brief stop at Bullwhackers gas station where skiers and non-skiers eyed each other with equal amounts of curiosity, we headed on past Blackhawk to the turn off for Apex.  The cloud base was low, and we moved ever closer as we gained altitude.  At the trailhead, we gingerly avoided the mud puddles as best we could as we unloaded the gear and skinned up.  The temperatures hovered near freezing, and the snow was soft and wet.  We ascended to the saddle, and took the contour road towards the middle of the bowl.   Finding this route from the saddle is easy if you know to look for it, but finding it from the bowl can be maddeningly difficult if you don't have tracks or GPS waypoints, as I found out the hard way on a previous trip. 

We emerged from the trees and climbed to about 10,550' where the ridge flattened out.  We de-skinned in the fog as the drizzle turned to tiny icy pellets that wafted in th breeze.  

Any concerns about our skis sticking in the wet snow quickly vanished as we discovered that the temperatures had provided the snow surface with a thin icy topping that provided more than enough glide to compensate for the heavy wet snow beneath.  Combined with the intermittent near total gray-out, it was a challenge to tell the difference between up and downhill.  

Phil descends into the mist.

Phil, Bob, and Wendy appear out of the fog.

Using periodic calls into the void and echo-location, we somehow managed to regroup at the bottom of the slope.  After a quick snack, we made the ascent for another run.

After a couple more runs, we met at the bottom and decided to take the switchback route out.  Following the existing tracks, we made the easy climb to the saddle, then down to the car.  The descent proved tricky, as the icy topping was thicker and more difficult to cut through to make turns in the trees.  We packed up the gear and headed back go Golden.

3 runs / 3.7 mi / 1700'

Interactive track, GPX, and pictures also at EveryTrail.

Current Creek 043011

The last day of April brought us more powder than we had seen in months at Current Creek.

We stoically endured the gushing mid-week snow reports from Loveland while we toiled at our desks, but we secretly hoped there would be some of that newly fallen goodness for us when the weekend arrived.  We weren't disappointed.

I gathered the troops at Woolly Mammoth HH, including Cheryl, Judi, Helayn, Diane S, Phil, Dave F, and Bob.  As usual, at lower elevations, the pavement was dry and the ground was bare, but as we ascended the pass, the road conditions deteriorated as the snow conditions improved.  At the trailhead, we were thrilled to find 8 - 12" of powder.  We clambered over the towering snow banks, strapped on the skis and broke trail to the Upper 110s.  In the haste to reach the top, Phil set new records for nearly vertical uptracks.  

Phil and Bob wasted no time summiting the ridge between Current and Second Creeks while the rest of the group de-skinned just below the ridge out of the wind.  

On top of the ridge, the snow was compacted into soft wind slabs, but conditions improved almost immediately as we descended.  There were about 6" of silky powder on top of the usual icy crust in the trees, but the depths were better in the open.  After an all-too-quick series of turns, we reached the bottom.  Some opted for a quick snack, while others headed straight back up for the next run.  

At the top we peeled off the skins and prepared for the run.  

On the second run I followed the group through the lower trees on skier's left. Here we found the powder was OK, but the crusty base was more evident the thicker the trees.  We concluded that the snow was all stuck up in the branches, and vowed to make our third run in the open.  After another climb, we repeated the well-worn ritual of switching from uphill to downhill mode.

At the bottom, we reluctantly left all the untracked runs untouched, and headed out on the traverse route to the east.  Most headed down the slot to the west of Teacup Bowl.

3 miles / 3 - 4 runs / 1700 - 2100'

View the track and stats at EveryTrail.  Zoom out to see the terrain map.

Next week is the last weekend to redeem those Loveland 4-packs, so we may end up there.  'Til then, happy turns!

Current Creek 042311

After a week of snow and temperatures near freezing, the south-facing slopes were ready for some serious powder harvesting.

I gathered the CMC crew at Woolly Mammoth HH at 7:30.  Cheryl, Phil, Vaune, Dave, Norm, Ginger, and Fred divided up the car pools and we drove off towards the slopes.  On the way out we saw Joel, but couldn't catch up to him until Downieville.  It was strange but encouraging to see fresh snow down low, and it only got better as we climbed.  The roads went from dry to wet to slush to snow-packed as we approached Berthoud Pass.  The snow was still coming down as we pulled into the trailhead parking lot.  


We delayed our start so Good Samaritan Fred could drive a skier with a dislocated shoulder to his car on top of the pass.  Soon we were all skinned up and ready to climb.  There was 4 - 8" of powder on top of the sun crust on the south-facing slopes, so we broke trail towards the Upper 110's saddle between Current and Second Creeks.  After a snack at the bottom of the slope, we ascended to the ridge and de-skinned.

As we headed down the crust made the descent pretty fast, but the ample powder on top made the turns come easier.  We had a quick bite at the bottom while half the group extended the down track a couple hundred feet, then we made another climb to the ridge.  A couple of other groups made use of the up-track, but graciously turned off to find their own powder.  

On the third run, some of us veered further west to take in some new terrain that ended up steepening at the bottom.  While we played on that slope, the faster members of the group found time for a fourth run at the ridge for a tree run on the west side of the ridge.

We regrouped at the lunch spot and began our traverse to the east.  A few of the group succumbed to the temptation of the untracked slopes, while the rest of us headed over towards the edges of Teacup Bowl.  We cruised down the gentle treed slopes to the bottom, despite a few encounters with unexpected dips in the flat light.  


3 - 4 runs, 3 miles / 1700 - 1900'

View the map and GPX on Every Trail. Zoom out to see the terrain map.

Upper 110s track with topo contours, slopes, and air photo.
Blue: 25-30°
Orange: 30-35°
Red: 35-40°
Dark red: 40-45°
Gray: 45-50°

Mayflower Gulch 040911

Despite no new snow and 3 days of 40° plus highs, we managed to get a good workout on the snow at Mayflower.

Cathy had us meet at Woolly Mammoth at 7 and we were on our way to Summit County with Norm, Sandy, Phil, Judi, Kashia, Susan, Ginger, Fred, Bob, and John.  With no traffic to worry about and a refreshing stop at Frisco Safeway, we continued on to Mayflower.  It was all crust and ice at the TH, but patches of powder in the shade of the trees kept us optimistic.  The sun was toasty, if the 40 mph winds weren't raging.


At the Y before the cabins we headed right, up towards the well-developed cornice.  A few attempted to ascend to the ridge, but the blasts of unpredictable wind changed their minds.  Some of us headed through the trees on skier's left, where we found a mix of boilerplate crust and powder.  After surviving that run, we opted for a more open run through the glades, where powder spotting skills ensured survival.  The sun faded to gray as the storm clouds made a noon-time arrival.  New snow fell, but most seemed to whirl away in the wind.  Still, a third run beckoned us most of the way to the top, and we took a shot at the wide open slopes on skier's right.  Once again, the scalloped powder deposited by the wind was the best skiing.


We regrouped at the bottom at 1:30 and flew down the ice-glazed trail to the flats, where some of us limped the rest of the way to the cars.  


Half the group headed home, while the other half made a stop at ever-popular Tommyknockers.  


Back at Woolly Mammoth, the howling winds caught back up with us as we gathered up gear and headed home.


3 runs / 1600' / 5 mi

Current Creek 040311

A crust day turns to powder thanks to heavy snow squalls at good old Current.

I gathered the crew at the Woolly Mammoth lot by the Conoco, and took off up the mountain with Cheryl, Kashia, Bob, Diane, and Renu.  After a stop at Downieville, we continued through Empire where it was raining.  Hope remained that the higher elevations of Berthoud Pass would turn the rain to snow, and we were not disappointed.  Before long we arrived at the TH where we were the only ones in the parking lot.  We skinned up and headed up the trail.  

Our hopes for powder in the trees were quickly shattered as the 40° plus temperatures during the week had baked everything to a lovely crust.  We passed the cabin on the way to the aqueduct, then followed the aqueduct to the climber's right to the glades.  The wind helped to drop some recycled powder, but the first run through the glades was breakable crust that was grabbing out downhill edges with less than desirable results.  After regrouping at the aqueduct, the sun faded and the clouds opened up to dump an inch or two per hour.  

Not bad for a day that started with wall-to-wall crust.

The second run in the bowl on climber's left was actually decent, and the smiles returned to the group.  At the meadow we dropped skier's left through the trees and back to the aqueduct to grab another installment of lunch.  

On the third climb up, it actually got colder as the air temperature dropped noticeably.  The third run was again though the left hand bowl, and this time it was really good.  Back at the aqueduct, we had enough powder to ski down the south-facing slopes for the first time in many a week.  Back at the trailhead we could not believe our good fortune.  Funny how fresh powder can really change the day. B-)

At the trailhead we bid farewell to a great powder day.

Baldy Bowl 012211

Heavy deep powder provided some fun tree skiing at Baldy Bowl.

Lots of powder in the trees to enjoy.

On Saturday I joined the massive Callais CMC trip to Baldy Bowl with lots of others.  Forgive me if I leave off a name or five: Dave, Cathy, Sarah, Wendy, Judi, Ted, Will, Mark, Sue, Dan, Stuart, Susan, Norm, Phil, and Bob departed 4th and Union at 6:30.  Traffic crawled to Downieville, and after a stop, the caravan crept up through the snowfall to the tunnel, then to Frisco and on to Breckenridge where we met up with Candice.  Arriving at the Baldy Rd winter trailhead, we somehow managed to leave a spot or two unoccupied.  


We skinned up at the cars and skied over to the trailhead where a short powwow ensued.  Finally, around 10:30 we headed up the trail to the mine where we had a quick snack out of the wind, but mindful of the roof cornice hanging over the edge of the mine building.  

 

The horde settles in for a snack at the mine.

From there Dave led us uphill, then angling climber's left (north) to the trees.  The wind and heavy snow made it feel colder than expected, only for the skies to clear and have the sun out for a bit to warm up.  

The group split into two with Dave's group taking the open slopes on the edge of the trees and Dan's group climbing up through the foot-deep powder in the trees.  The snow was heavy but still passable, especially on the steeps and for those who hung back to take advantage of the slopes groomed by the first tracks bunch.

Lots of powder along the up-track.

At the bottom of the slope there was time for a couple bites to eat, then time to climb the well-packed uptrack.  The groups fragmented into smaller crews determined by timing and climbing speed, and then it was time for the second descent.  More goodness was enjoyed by those in the trees, though the open slope skiers were occasionally surprised by some wind-scoured hard pack.  Back at the mine it was already 2:00, much to our surprise.  Reluctantly, we headed back to the cars to pack it in and attempt to beat some of the traffic.  I drove a "secret shortcut" that by-passed the town of Breckenridge, coming onto route 9 at the 7-11.  We made it almost all the way to the tunnel traffic light, but had to wait through an entire 20-minute cycle before being allowed to continue.  The time passed relatively quickly watching telemark videos on YouTube.  Despite Loveland Pass being closed, there was the usual slowdown at the Loveland on-ramp, but speeds picked up from there, and we arrived at Tommyknockers around 4:00.  After a leisurely break, we hit the road back to town with traffic much reduced.

Stats: 4.4 miles / 1800' / 4 hrs

GPS track loaded at EveryTrail (click here).

Current Creek Chutes 011611

On our monthly Sunday trip, we found some decent powder in the Current Creek Chutes on the southwest side of the valley.

Dave swooshes through the powder.

I led a CMC trip to Current Creek on a Sunday with Cheryl, Kashia, Scott, and Dave.  We met at 7:00 at Woolly Mammoth, loaded up the cars, and hit the highway.  There was quite a bit of volume, but only minor slow downs on the way to Downieville.  From there, we avoided slow traffic by sneaking up the frontage road to the Empire turnoff, then on to the Current Creek trailhead.  We were on the snow before 9:00!  Several vehicles at the lot sported a couple inches of snow, leading us to expect some campers in the valley.  We headed up the drainage past the cabin, where a variety of boards for tele, AT, and snowboarding were stacked by the door.  


Past the cabin, we made the steepish climb to the aqueduct road, then continued our climb up to the Chutes.  A well-established up-track switched back and forth up the widest chute, then leveled off a bit when we hit the bottom of the yo-yo runs.  We continued climbing up a nicely powdered slope into an open bowl, then veered to the climber's left to ascend on the ridge through the trees.  We could only take so many tempting views of the untracked powder in the chute until we ripped the skins off and dropped into the powder.  We found light powder closer to the trees, with a mix of heavier powder in the middle with a few old tracks buried just beneath the surface.  

Scott glides down the lower chute.

Kashia swoops onto the lower slopes.

Cheryl joins the crowd at the skin-up spot.

After a pleasant run, we yo-yo'd the bowl a couple more times.  Except for a few crusty spots, the runs were very enjoyable.

Kashia cruises through the powder.

Kashia's chocolate covered coffee beans must have been having their effect on everyone, because we ended up back at the cars before 1:00.  We quickly departed to beat the Sunday traffic, only to find that there was none.  After a refreshing stop at Tommyknockers, we rolled back down to the park and ride.


3 runs / 3.0 miles / 1700'

The track for this trip is red with a yellow highlight

in the southwest corner of the bowl.  

The Peter Rabbit cabin is flagged with a waypoint.

The map and GPX track are also available on the EveryTrail web site.