WildSnow Weekend — Mt. Sopris Spring Fest


Post by WildSnow.com blogger | April 12, 2015      
Alpine start for our annual Mt. Sopris attack.

Alpine start for our annual Mt. Sopris attack.

Waking up at 3:00 am is rarely easy. But the groaning rollover ends when you notice the temp is below freezing and large Mt. Sopris is gleaming white in the moonlight right outside your bedroom window. Get out there and it might be one of those perfect spring days. I’ve enjoyed fabulous ones. This weekend added another. The lack of dust on our local peaks is making backcountry skiing on the western slope of the Colorado Rockies the best in years. With our thin snowpack, it won’t last long. This weekend we climbed Mt. Sopris and everything — weather, views, snowpack, friends — made it one of those memorial spring days of WildSnow backcountry skiing.

Local skimo champ, Pete Gaston with Jordan climbing the saddle below the peak.

Local skimo champ, Pete Gaston with his friend Jordan cruising up the saddle below the peak. ‘Cruising’ has another definition for these guys.

Bill Shepherd celebrating his 70th birthday WildSnow style.

Bill Shepherd celebrating his 70th birthday WildSnow style.

Recap of WildSnow.com posts from week of April 6 thru April 10:

Quarry Saw — UpSki Carbon Fiber Snow Saw

Cycles of the Storm Days — Glacier Camp Alaska

Glacier Bay — Skiing The Weather Window

Historical Re-creation — Trooper Traverse

2 ‘Accident’ Book Reviews — And 10 Essentials

Atomic Backland Ski Touring Boots — Review

The day inspired Lou to work on his online Colorado ski touring guidebook, Sopris Chapter. Not sure if or when he’ll ever get that thing done, but slow progress is being made.

IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE VIEWING SITE, TRY WHITELISTING IN YOUR ADBLOCKER, OTHERWISE PLEASE CONTACT US USING MENU ABOVE, OR FACEBOOK.
Posted by Lisa Dawson on April 12, 2015 | Filed Under Backcountry Skiing, Lisa Dawson, WildSnow Girl, Your Guest Blogs 
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Comments

4 Responses to “WildSnow Weekend — Mt. Sopris Spring Fest”

  1. mtnrunner2 April 12th, 2015 9:24 pm

    That looks fantastic. The Thomas Lakes trail is great regardless of whether you get to the summit (my primary mode of transport is running), but I do look forward to getting to the top some day, probably in the summer. Well done.

  2. Frame April 13th, 2015 6:19 am

    Glad you are enjoying the lack of dust. I was skiing in Nth French alps last week and they seemed clear of dust too. Got back to London on Friday and air quality warnings were in place due to continental pollution and Sahara dust that have been transported and mixed with the UK’s own pollution. Have skied on orange snow in the alps from Saharan sand before – Amazing how far that dust will travel.

    Dust doesn’t work in the spam question… ;o)

  3. Charlie April 14th, 2015 2:54 pm

    That’s what it’s all about!

  4. Laddie April 14th, 2015 4:08 pm

    Plenty of dust in the Tetons this year… seems to be much more abundant here in recent years.





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