Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information & opinion website. Lou's passion for the past 50 years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about
ski touring and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the
Fourteeners! Books and free ski touring news and information here.
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Wow, this must be the only place with decent snow. Great pics. I just might
have to make a trip down valley to releive this powder depression. MAN, I REALLY NEED A FIX.
Super nice powder photofest. I skied Copper on Sunday, and the snow is a far cry from this.
Feel like I just watched an x girl friend in a bad porno with a bunch of clowns. Shredfest is more suited for one of the resorts up in aspen. Don’t ski lifts exist so that skiers like you guys can ski under them and say “look at me?” Not all press is good press.
What happened to keeping special places on the “down low?” Maybe you guys can call it MOGULFEST-brought to you by our sponsors dyna-fit, redbull, forerunner….
Just to clarify, these were taken the weekend over New Years, so it’s a little different up there now. I hear it’s pretty tracked out at the moment. C’mon snow!
gonna have to start selling passes for that place…….
Why does this place get so much play on the internet? I’d be pissed if it was my local area…thank god it’s not. Seems like it’s on the tipping point to get ruined with respect to the parking clusters I’ve heard…oh well, at least it’s in Colorado!
Those are some of the best photos of friends having a great day in the backcountry I’ve seen in awhile. Nice shots. I enjoyed your trip vicariously. :biggrin:
After some reflection I realized it would be prudent to take the location down. This place has become increasingly popular and I’m sure some of it has to do with this site. No need to add to it right now when everywhere is hurting for snow!
Thus just occured to you now Nick? Please, don’t move anywhere near me….Good call on taking the name of the place down though.
Nice pictures.
It had a occurred to me when I first typed it up. What hadn’t occurred to me was how enticing it would look given the present conditions.
Sherry- thanks, that was a great time. Nothing like having a great time with good friends.
What lens are you using? Great shots.
Thanks Tavis. I borrowed a friend’s Nikon Fish eye 10.5MM, which I’m now struggling to not buy as it’s so much fun. Other lenses are, if I can recall off the top of my head, an 18-135 Nikon and a 70-300 Sigma. Just got the 70-300 recently, and am still adjusting to needing higher shutter speeds and f-stops to avoid blurring or missing the subject in a super narrow depth of field. Though it is really cool what you can do with such a narrow DOF. What do you use?
SkierX- Just approved your post, sorry it didn’t get up until now. And in response: Get a sense of humor.
Fish eye lenses are lame.
Just a guy in the flat lands sitting behind a desk wishing he could ski as often as many of you do. Reading skier x I get the sentiment but holy cow man, lighten up. At some point someone told you about various places that you now frequent. I guess once you get there no one else can go? I loved the photo essay and reminds me of the freedom and joy represented in the mountains which is a nice thing to share with others. But I guess if you’re not super sweet skier guy who lives up in the mountains you should just buy your ticket, get on the lift, and never, ever head to the backcountry because god forbid you tread on super sweet skier guys home turf.
Great pictures. I like the lack of storyline. It’s too bad people get so upset about posts like these. Perhaps something else is bothering them?
Of all the tragic stories I have heard this week, my heart breaks the most for those poor individuals who were forced to read a story on a ski blog that they didn’t want to read.
Wait, what did you say? No one was forced…? Huh, go figure…
Nice pics. Looks like it was a good day. Thanks for sharing.
Nick: great pics
SkierX: switch to Decaf…
Nick,
Miss the deleted Lebowski reference on the kicked cornice photo – but it’s all good.
You mix a helluva Caucasian, Jackie.
I think I met skier-X the last time I was in Aspen.
Nick: Is that a pair of Birdos on Ben? Did you and ben stay in Andermatt for some weeks in 2006? Remember two americans named Ben and Nick that stayed with some swedes and one norwegian…
“Jackie Treehorn treats objects like women, man.”
Wow Nick, for someone who is so laid back in person you sure know how to stir up the hornets on the internet. Haha! Great photography man. And or what it’s worth, if you don’t know about the stash that shall not be named, you probably aren’t reading Wildsnow anyway.
Glomstulen- Yep, that’s us, great memory. What’s your name? Guess I can email you to catch up if you want. That was the trip of a lifetime! And yes, those are Ben’s Birdos- I think a semi custom Ghetto Chicken. Great skis.
Everyone- thanks for bringing the comments back on track to point of the post: a fun day with friends. Ya, I should have left the Lebowski reference, obviously skier x is not a golfer. 😉
Nick, Glomstulen –
This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps. (-;
nice BigD!
Nice photos….
but yeah, Skier X is right…. this site is a one-man marketing machine for “that place”.
Wildsnow.com needs more East Coast and Iowa backcountry coverage!
Njord
I know who skier-x is and don’t mind him. He’s just a grumpy ‘ol ‘has been’ who gets jealous because folks are getting after it and enjoying the snow. Hey skier-x, I’m gonna come down to Ridgway, slay your stash, then put up a big old trip report here on wildsnow.com! Don’t worry fellas, when he’s not yapping about how CO is overrun by east coasters or how there’s no longer any true locals/natives, he’s actually a pretty decent guy.
Nick:
Christian from Norway here (old salomon hat, snowboarder and sometimes skiing) lived in the pink building next to the church bells together with Mads.
Just came back from Engelberg after some days with hip deep pow and loads of faceshots… Switzerland keeps on delivering Pulverschnee.
Send me an email and we’ll catch up.
Keep up the good work, looks like you are having a great time. Say Hi to Ben from me.
Pure stoke! Young people skiing powder! :cheerful: Two things that I do not have- youth and deep powder. It did just start snowing again here in central WA today (hooray!)