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Best back country zone in CO

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d-wiz
Posts: 26 - Karma: 56
Heading to Denver today. Will be bouncing around chasing snow for the next month. Looking for suggestions on the best 'big line' zones. Help a brother out!!
Dec 23 2009 12:34PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
The Elks, The San Juans....
Dec 23 2009 12:42PM
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bfnradford
Posts: 921 - Karma: 100
Limon, thats where the best steeps are
Dec 23 2009 3:59PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21061 - Karma: 8,366
.

Rocky Mtn National Park and Cameron Pass too but they've pretty bare I think. Haven't had a chance to go backcountry yet this season so it's just based off here-say
Dec 25 2009 5:21PM
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skiingonskis
Posts: 2076 - Karma: 262
vail pass, park range.... if you have a sled then just go for it, youll find something
Dec 25 2009 6:45PM
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HappyTreez
Posts: 311 - Karma: 401
this...also west elks (there is a difference)
Dec 25 2009 7:12PM
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PeterNorth
Posts: 1347 - Karma: 1,232
the snow conditions are so sketch right now in co. hope the BC gets better.
Dec 25 2009 9:02PM
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PeterNorth
Posts: 1347 - Karma: 1,232
here this should give you a direction where to go. http://avalanche.state.co.us/index.php
Dec 25 2009 9:04PM
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DrStrangelove
Posts: 1948 - Karma: 3
bro is right about vail pass and the san juan range if you have a sled...avy danger is insane right now though so i hope you know what youre doing...
Dec 25 2009 11:39PM
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Get.Kronk
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 226
best big mountain lines are for sure in southwest.    Best pillowy, jibby, powder stuff is berthoud and loveland passes, if you go  back pretty far.
Dec 26 2009 12:47AM
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Mike.Records
Posts: 1311 - Karma: 756

Grizzly Gulch, Dry Gulch, CB backcountry, Watson Divide

Dec 26 2009 1:22AM
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d-wiz
Posts: 26 - Karma: 56

Thanks for the advise... much appreciated. If anyone is up Whistler way and need advise, I'd be happy to help.

Gonna be up in Steamboat early next week. If any newschoolers are up and want to show me around I'd love it. I will provide beer!!!

Thanks

Dec 26 2009 3:40PM
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HoodCoast
Posts: 152 - Karma: 179
Telluride once we get snow
Dec 26 2009 4:57PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
By "elks" i ment all of them cause they're both gnar. Vail pass is a pretty weak zone, whoever suggested that...
Dec 27 2009 12:08AM
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srwinnsuco
Posts: 2943 - Karma: 1,472
if your headings to steamboat check out buff pass
Dec 27 2009 11:58AM
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Mike.Records
Posts: 1311 - Karma: 756
I'd have to disagree about Vail pass some pretty amazing cliff, pillow, and mini golf zones.But nothing really long and steep i guess.
Dec 28 2009 1:17AM
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Jodi
Posts: 4215 - Karma: 745
hey ns - watch out for this d-whiz guy. he's a bit of a gaper....j/k:-)
Dec 29 2009 8:44AM
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d-wiz
Posts: 26 - Karma: 56
Hey... no flirting in regional fourms!
Dec 29 2009 9:33AM
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PappaG
Posts: 931 - Karma: 797
Nothing is safe up high. Save a life and go to Silverton instead - there's nothing fun about dealing with 30+ cm of rotten depth hoar.
Dec 30 2009 3:06PM
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Carter23
Posts: 1722 - Karma: 17
definitely not cb, this place sucks for backcountry, do not come here for BC!!!!!!!
Dec 30 2009 5:46PM
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Mike.Records
Posts: 1311 - Karma: 756
NPG is right silverton is sick check it out! if you do go don't go expecting to ski 20 runs in a day, probably more like 5, but you will get as close to a backcountry/big mountain feel as you will ever get at a ski area.
Dec 30 2009 5:58PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
Skied in CB backcountry today 6-8 in of fresh, no signs of instability at/below treeline @ 30/35 degrees That depth hoar is down there though...be careful!
Dec 30 2009 8:39PM
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little_ey
Posts: 609 - Karma: 392
This.

This is my daily snow bible. 

But seriously, CO snowpack (esp. vail/summit) is supper inconsistent and sketchy.  Did some avy training the other day... pits read bad, tests read bad...  just know your slope, know your exits, and know the finding ability of your buddy.
Dec 31 2009 3:26PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
Been seeing the same thing, bad warming early this year and tons of rotten snow down low. Been shredding a ton of BC though, know where to go! you could get into serious trouble this year...
Jan 3 2010 8:16PM
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PappaG
Posts: 931 - Karma: 797
Skied Monarch Pass on Saturday, and found 65cm of sugar on the bottom. Skied 2-3' feet deep in the trees at low angle. Dug a pit facing SE at 11.7k at Berthoud Pass on Sunday, and the snowpack was god awful. Skiing above treeline or above 30 degrees in open areas and you're asking to be taken for a ride.
Jan 4 2010 12:55PM
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ThaLorax
Posts: 21061 - Karma: 8,366
yeah dude, i skied highland's bowl on the 31st and even with the all the avy control they do there the snow was cracking/sloughing on me to the point where i had to traverse to the trees (G4 if anyone knows it) past the area I wanted to ski because i didn't feel safe skiing the inbounds line.
Jan 4 2010 6:05PM
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Sklar
Posts: 8863 - Karma: 31,577
i heard a patroller at vail got into a little slide inbounds somewhere in bluesky
Jan 4 2010 8:07PM
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-PowAir-
Posts: 646 - Karma: 30
Skied Snodgrass in CB. noticed sugar at the bottom of the pit as well as a few suncrusts, and windslabs and cracking down low. Be careful and have an exit!
Jan 5 2010 12:52AM
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bfnradford
Posts: 921 - Karma: 100
snow is so sugary this year, saw several crowns and slide debris INBOUNDS at vail. if we get dumped on be careful
Jan 6 2010 1:30PM
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HappyTreez
Posts: 311 - Karma: 401

i had a slab break off on me on the north side of snodgrass, i had a good exit point tho so it wasnt too sketchy.  went up and stayed in a cabin on the back side of kebler pass for new years and had over 2 feet of fresh at midnight on the first.  kept to the trees and had no issues with instability while up there. it was super epic, the moon was so bright i didnt even need a head lamp.

Jan 7 2010 3:17PM
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RICK_ROSS
Posts: 6983 - Karma: 3,342
you guys dont know shit about red mountain. park, walk 5 minutes in any direction, huge jumps
Jan 19 2010 5:06PM
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