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Aspen vacation/highlands bowl
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Hey newschoolers what up, I hope this isn't a repost and it if is swiftly direct me to a similar thread, thanks. Anywho, me and three friends (all age 17) are going up to aspen and staying there for 8 days over February break. We plan on hiking the highlands bowl and have a few questions:
1) is a beacon/probe/shovel required for the hike? And if it isn't is it recommended?
2) where is the best place to find powder glades and cliffs?
3) are there any good places to build a BC booter inbounds? And if not anywhere out of bounds?
4) (optional) how is the bud situation? Is it a big deal or should it be kept nice and out of the open? Also is it easy enough to shoulder tap outside a dispensery?
Thanks guys I really appreciate legit answers, have a nice day!
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Beacons are not required in the Highlands bowl. The Highlands patrol would not open the bowl if they felt it was not safe for public.
Personally I have never felt the need to have a beacon when on in-bounds terrain at any aspen/snowmass mountain. They do an great job with avalanche prevention.
But remember your in high consequence ski area. Ex: a 26 year ski patrol vet died on 12/30/12 from being pushed off a 100ft cliff from a small slide. SIP Patsy.
I'm not trying to scare you but respect the mountains, pump locals for knowledge, and ski with in your limits.
Bump this thread when you get closer to your trip and someone can provide with current snowpack and weather information.
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RIP Pasty, she was an awesome person. I knew her through my Mom. BUT, she was skiing by herself on an un-maintained/un-patrolled out of bounds area in high avalanche danger where she knew the risks she was taking.
To answer your questions.
1. No
2. If you want powder this season, go to Montana, Wyoming or the PNW
3. You don't need to build a BC booter. Aspen/Snowmass has some of the best parks in the world. NOt to mention CO has virtually no snow pack right now so good fucking luck building a booter with the faceted snow that won't pack into a jump anyways.
4. Ask someone who looks like a stoner and good luck not getting ripped off. If they ask for more than $50 an 1/8th you're getting ripped off.
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Thanks man, I'm like two weeks out now so I'm praying for some dumping to build up that snowpack, then praying we get dumped on while there, and if not just a massive park session haha, and yeah last answer was how I expected
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I will be attending this trip with Anal_Annihilator and I pray that something changes, Whistler looks like the spot to be this year!
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3 days until we are off, and we scheduled a powder cat tour so we are super stoked! Have the conditions improved at all? How is it looking?
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We leave Saturday! Info would be much appreciated on current snow pack etc...
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Well I'll tell you that your "powder cat tour" isn't going to be very powdery, but it'll still be better than you're used to. Snowpack in the BC is very sketchy right now. Full of facets and slab layers. Just arrived in Snowmass to visit my Mom and ski with a friend tomorrow. I'll let you know what the snow in the resort is like. Driving in, it looked like it's better than Summit County, but not great by any means.
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Believe when I tell you, In New England we get one maybe two legit pow days a year, and even then... Its most likely shittier than the snowpack there. Im hyped just to ski out west man! Let us know!
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Well I only skied Snowmass today, which usually gets the most snow of the 4 mountains there. For normal standards of mid february in Snowmass, the snowpack was extremely low. That said, it was much better than in Summit County. Hiked the Wall, and the wall itself was horrrrrrible. Exposed rocks literally everywhere. Had to pick and choose my way through them, but once I made my way through, the Ladders had some great snow. Even found some untouched snow if you know where to go. AMF was skiing pretty well too. Just gotta be careful on the run-outs below the double black runs. Definitely would avoid skiing the new Burn terrain until we get a few more storms. It's too low of elevation, gets sun-baked, and the runout is absolute crap. Worse than before it was incorporated into in-bounds skiing, which is saying A LOT. When it was slackcountry, the runout was sketchy enough as it was.
Have fun, but be careful not to fuck your skis/body up.
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