Montezuma Basin, Colorado — Our Season Begins
It’s been snowing up high over the last week; at 13,000 feet we found enough for much anticipated and needed turns. Yeah winter!
The clouds parted just as we put our skis on. Life is good.
Tyler rips up some early season backcountry skiing powder
First backcountry skiing turns of the season -- with a great view.
This is typical of Colorado. We get early snow, it is solid. Then, if it doesn’t KEEP snowing the thin layer of first snowfall sits there and metamorphosizes into the dreadful surface hoar crystals (sugar snow) any Colorado backcountry skier is all too familiar with. Of course the sugar is not at any “depth” at first, but once it starts snowing again we can end up with the depth hoar as a foundation layer that causes a long winter of tricky avalanche danger. Thus, now more than any time of the year we beg, pray and plead for it to keep snowing. Looking good so far.
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12 Responses to “Montezuma Basin, Colorado — Our Season Begins”
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Love it!!
I was so tempted to make the trip to Montezuma Basin this weekend. This just confirms that I made the wrong decision and went mtn biking instead. Glad to see someone got some turns in!!!
Lou,
I’m curious if Snirt would have satisfied the Anti-Spam Quiz? For the past couple seasons that might actually be a more accurate response!!!
It looks like Will and I should have skied MB rather than Mt. Rainier this past weekend.
J, you might just have to make another comment to find out!
Last year the Wasatch experienced that scenario (early dump then two months of dry weather). This year I’m fasting and praying for no snow until after Thanksgiving. More skiing to be had with stability.
ah…. so nice to see!
Jeez, it was only a couple of months ago we were blasting you guys with snow-filled Denali skiing posts, now you want more? What a bunch of fanatics
Look’s awesome! We (in Alberta) are all too familiar with the early snow-then no snow-then snow, metamorphosis. lets all hope and send out the good vibes that this year will be a safe year filled with a nice big snowpack filled with rounds and not facets!
Amen!
Lou – Tell me you are getting out and making turns from this recent storm!! ….raise the stoke meter for those desk jockeys who will be blown away at the amount of snow in the Elks!!…for October! Cheers! …..3-4ft over on this side above 10,000…in the “favored areas”….Lake Irwin, lake effect?!!
Wick, indeed! Finally got a TR up this morning. More snow coming this weekend, after that it’ll be full-on ski time.