– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

Banner
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

Lynn Durr Peak – Ashcroft, Colorado

by Lou Dawson May 20, 2008
written by Lou Dawson May 20, 2008

Lynn Durr is a peak off the Castle Creek Road out of Aspen. Once they plow the last mile or two of road, as they do every spring around this time, you can backcountry ski a quality 3,000 vertical feet from your tailgate. Our friend Bob Perlmutter got it more than once over the past week, so I figured we’d better get up there and see what was going on. Besides, nice place for son Louie’s first post-high-school backcountry skiing. The trailhead is your typical 10,000 foot elevation zone and melting out fast, but the skiing is still of good quality and the line aesthetic. It’s east facing, so be there early or you’ll have sun glopped snow to deal with.


Lynn Durr Peak

Near the summit, Pearl Pass Oberland vaults to the south. That’s east and west Pearl Mountain on center horizon, with Greg Mace peak in left midground. All that is easily accessible for a day trip of backcountry skiing from your parking spot. Click image to enlarge

Lynn Durr peak, easterly reaches.
Lynn Durr is named after a woman who was killed in an avalanche here on March 8, 1991. Durr was a somewhat of a loner who lived in a house a few miles downvalley from the peak, and nearly every winter day would ski tour up the valley road passing through the avalanche runouts. One day she was on her usual tour, a massive slide came down, and that was her end. The story is sad and teaches a lesson, because the extreme hair trigger avy conditions that day were well known, and anyone who had their ear to the ground would have thought twice about going under those paths at that particular time.

Lynn Durr peak, easterly reaches.
Tools for the day. We usually only carry one form of crampons or the other, but with the amount of snow this year conditions vary quite a bit by elevation and exposure, so I’ve been bringing both ski and foot spikes. Those are CAMP aluminum foot cramps and the ski spikes are B&D.

Lynn Durr peak, easterly reaches.
The graduate. Congratulations!

8 comments
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
previous post
Independence Pass, Colorado — When Will it Open for Backcountry Skiing?
next post
Using B&D Ski Crampons with Fritschi Explore Bindings

8 comments

AJ May 20, 2008 - 3:54 am

congratulations Louie!

Mark Worley May 20, 2008 - 7:32 am

Super line for the grad! This is the best spring season ever for me. I might try to ski into July or August this year.

Andrew McLean May 20, 2008 - 8:49 am

Congratulations Louie! My brother (Alex) lives up in Bellingham – maybe you’ll cross paths with him sometime. He loves it up there and swears he will never leave!

Dongshow May 20, 2008 - 3:25 pm

congrats Louie, I as well have family in Bellingham, it’s an awesome place.

I’ve wondered about this, and igure this is the place (Dynafit enthusiast central) to bring up the question. Can Dynafits handle the beating Fritschis seem to take. I’ll ski anywhere, but Dynafit’s make me nervous and I’d be afraid to take them on exposed terrain, but that may just be me. Weight isn’t really an issue for me, I ski my 193 Atomic Thugs every day and they are perfect for our terrain snow conditions. Is it worth experimenting with Dynafits?

Andrew McLean May 20, 2008 - 4:09 pm

I think you have it backward Dongshow – can Fritschi’s handle the beating the Dynafits take? 🙂 I spent 10 years on Fritschi’s and am now all Dynafit, all the time. Any Dynafit breakage I’ve seen has been related to pilot error.

Brian May 20, 2008 - 4:36 pm

I have halted skiing for the past couple of days due to the very high day and night temps. Were things frozen enough on easterly faces to feel comfortable? Jonesin over here as we were hoping for north face of La Plata but 86’d it because of weather.

Lou May 20, 2008 - 8:23 pm

It just needs to cool down a bit and that sounds like it’s coming.

George T May 20, 2008 - 10:44 pm

Lou:
Looks like Greg Mace Peak and chutes are full of snow and ready based upon your picture. Any plans for a Pearl Pk and Greg Mace Pk double?
Best,
George

Comments are closed.

Recent Comments

  • Leadville Longstrider on Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry
  • rob coppolillo on The No-Beacon Day — Using Terrain to Minimize Avalanche Exposure
  • Stefan Ucloud on The No-Beacon Day — Using Terrain to Minimize Avalanche Exposure
  • rob coppolillo on The No-Beacon Day — Using Terrain to Minimize Avalanche Exposure
  • Tom Scilacci on Tele Tech First Look — Voile Ultra Vector BC, 22 Designs Lynx, Scarpa TX Pro

Gear Reviews

  • Versatile and Sustainable — WNDR Vital 100 Ski Review

    January 14, 2021
  • Meidjo 3.0 Binding Review – Backcountry Telemark Evolves

    January 12, 2021
  • Tele Tech First Look — Voile Ultra Vector BC, 22 Designs Lynx, Scarpa TX Pro

    January 5, 2021

Trip Reports

  • Finding Early Turns on Rainier’s Muir Snowfield

    November 14, 2020
  • Treading Lightly Through Close-to-Home Mountains

    October 6, 2020
  • Snoqualmie Classic — Chair Peak Circumnavigation

    May 26, 2020

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020
  • Totally Deep Podcast 81 — CAIC Director Ethan Greene

    December 9, 2020
  • Unraveling the Mysteries of Avalanche Education — Totally Deep Podcast 80

    November 16, 2020

Tips & Tricks

  • 10 Essential Mistakes for the Backcountry Ski Touring Beginner

    December 2, 2020
  • Buying Used Gear Guide Part II — Poles, Avy Gear, Packs

    November 25, 2020
  • Save Your Ski Day — Emergency Car Kit Essentials

    November 24, 2020

Ski Touring Stories

  • Giving Myself the Gift of Backcountry

    January 15, 2021
  • Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains Traverse & Richard Compton Tribute

    January 7, 2021
  • Risky Business — Zahan Billimoria on Solving for Z

    December 14, 2020

Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Six Who Dared — Elk Mountains...

January 7, 2021

Finding Early Turns on Rainier’s Muir...

November 14, 2020

Treading Lightly Through Close-to-Home Mountains

October 6, 2020