12.8 ski tour

[Barb]

My friend and I checked out a new area in the Indian Peaks Wilderness today. We had read it was super mellow and dog friendly. The weather was supposed to be partly sunny and not start snowing on the east side of the divide until evening. By the time we drove through the canyon it was snowing hard and very windy. Going up the snow covered dirt road to access our spot the wind picked up and the visibility was poor. We got there about 8 and there was another group about to skin in. We chatted for a bit about route options. I am glad someone else was there because it just felt better knowing someone else would be out there.

 

 

Once we got in the trees the wind was tolerable. Skinned 1.75 miles in to an open area. There were several options. Some heartier souls kept going up to the ridge above us. It was a steep climb and the wind was whipping again since we were out of the trees. There was also a line below us that looked good, but we would have had to skin back up it to get out. We chose to just transition and go the way we came. Went through some tight trees but the grade was mellow. When I go back in nicer conditions I will play around some more.

 

 

Some old mining cabin ruins.

 

Open are where I am pointing out the guys on the ridge.

 

On the way out there was some uphill. We couldn’t remember how much of that there was so at first we just kind of herringboned up it. That was gettin pretty tiring and we came across another group. We asked them if they thought it was worth it to put skins back on and they said absolutely. So skins went back on and we continued the last 1/2 mile or so to the car.

 

Overall a stellar day out despite the weather. Of course the sun came out about 5 min before we reached the car.

 

 

 

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