Bluebird Backcountry will operate on the apron of Whiteley Peak, an hour north of Silverthorne, CO and 40 minutes south of Steamboat Springs. Photo: Justin Wilhelm
Bluebird co-founder on opening a human-powered ski area
If you’ve been following ski touring news in the slightest over the past week, you probably caught wind of a human-powered ski area in the works in northern Colorado. Bluebird Backcountry at Peak Ranch is the first of its kind in the U.S. — a lift-less ski hill where beginners and proficients alike can learn and hone skills to ski and travel successfully in the backcountry. On the latest Totally Deep Podcast, Doug catches up with Bluebird co-founder Erik Lambert amidst the flurry of Outdoor Retailer.
The idea of a human-powered ski area may sound like a misnomer but for Lambert and fellow founder and Bluebird CEO Jeff Woodward, such a ski area could be elemental in growing the sport of ski touring. The goal is to offer a ‘backcountry light’ experience that welcomes anyone interested in ski touring (splitboarders included).
Bluebird’s inaugural season is set to launch on February 15 at a Peak Ranch between Steamboat Springs and Kremmling at the base of 10,115 foot Whiteley Peak. The unimproved property promises plenty of true backcountry excitement. No glading, pruning or grooming has been done to prepare extensive aspen groves and meadows for skiers. The area will, however, offer the typical amenities of a ski hill — warming hut, bathrooms, hot cocoa, bacon — along with features specific to backcountry skiing including an avy gear check, beacon park and lessons oriented specifically around using touring gear and developing backcountry best practices. Rental gear is available for those who need and all participants are required to carry a beacon, shovel and probe.
The proposed ski area, as outlined in the podcast. Image: Bluebird Backcountry
On the episode, Doug and Erik dig into the intricacies and challenges of starting a human-powered ski area — ideal locale being the biggest — and Bluebird’s plans for cultivating a safe, educational and welcoming backcountry skiing experience. A portion of the area will be available for unguided ski touring, while a larger swath will be guided only. Think Silverton, but without the steeps and with a bigger focus on education. Tune into the episode for more, or check out Bluebird’s Kickstarter page, which runs through February 5th.
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Manasseh Franklin is a writer, editor and big fan of walking uphill. She has an MFA in creative nonfiction and environment and natural resources from the University of Wyoming and especially enjoys writing about glaciers. Find her other work in Alpinist, Adventure Journal, Rock and Ice, Aspen Sojourner, AFAR, Trail Runner and Western Confluence.
21 comments
Google the Hankin Evelyn backcounrty ski area, this idea has been around for 10 yrs, a whole bunch of journalists have been up to visit, a whole bunch of articals have been written
Excellent conversation about seriously concerning topic. I love where you are all coming from about this . Heart and soul
Definitely not the first. There are a bunch in Vermont, here are two of them.
https://www.rastavt.org/trails/
Bluebird is a bit different than those, Tuck, as it’s billed as a ski area, charges for use as such, limits number of users per day , has safety staff and guides, and offers lessons and educational programming.
I listened to the podcast. Great interview.
But properly, Bluebird doesn’t have any of that stuff, yet, as it hasn’t opened.
The RASTA areas are open, have operating permits from the Forest Service (more recent than 1980 for Beaver Creek) and have already run introductory clinics.
They deserve enormous credit for pioneering liftless ski areas in the US.
(Oh, and the RASTA areas have glades, and signs for trails!)
I’d love to hear a podcast about the burgeoning scene in Vermont.
Ski the East!
I’m interested in listening to the podcast where I’m sure this will be covered, but the big difference between Bluebird and RASTA is RASTA’s zones are volunteer built and free for anyone to use, whereas Bluebird is charging $50/day. Perhaps this is the “seriously concerning” point Linda raises above?
It seems like Bluebird is going for a backcountry resort with consequential terrain and a real sustainable plan for bringing people into a new sport. If you don’t want to pay the $50 bucks you can go somewhere else.
“Consequential Terrain”? Have you seen the topo and picture above? Please.
touring + mitigation work, especially in colorado in midwinter? i’ll pay for that. it will be interesting to see what kind of terrain and snow is on offer.
What’s included with the $50 day ticket? I would hope group lessons or a guide as that seems way out of line for a warming hut, parking and the ability to purchase food/drinks.
The industry has done an excellent job in scaring the piss out of new participants regarding avalanche hazard. I imagine even more so in places like CO with a more challenging./scary snow pack. Much like inbounds skinning I imagine there are a large number of peoples who will gladly shell out $50 if they believe this will mitigate their concerns regarding avi hazard.
$50 no thank you. It is really getting old listening to all of the in the know bc skiers spouting all of their acquired knowledge in order to pontificate and make a profit out of selling to the sheep.
@ phillip, did someone force you to read? if your getting sick of it maybe you should stop. other people like hearing whats happening in the industry.
Am thinking we should nix at least one of the snarky comments above (done), that attacks and insults a “particular crowd,” which I’d venture to say most of us have been part of at one time in our storied careers.
Easy on the elitism… I’d agree there are a few things to question here, but I don’t see why we can’t support the overall concept and just see where it goes. In my view, the big thing is providing a place for people to safely get started with human-powered skiing in terrain with minimal avalanche danger.
My main question is how the drive from Denver will influence the customer base. The only way to find that out is to start the thing up and see what happens. I’ll sure be watching!
Lou
OK, guess you better get rid of my other snarky comment above about the terrain. Seriously though, that this site apparently can’t abide sarcasm [or even “snark”] in its comment section for a reader to express a general point is kind of silly, no? Certainly your call to coddle what you perceive as your principal readership, however, my guess is they can probably handle the sarcasm and underlying point. OK, so let me do a better job at making my point: “Wow, this place will be really cool, and definitely offer individuals a chance to learn how to make Mike Wiegel Wiggly Turns on designated 24 degree wind blown slopes on their new $1,700 DPS skis and $1,200 Dynafit boots. [OK Lou, Nix away.]
Hmmm it seems we’ve missed the underlying purpose of a discussion thread, which is not to insult readers and writers or alienate people who take different approaches to the growing world of backcountry skiing (which is growing, BTW, whether the old guard wants it to or not). At least not this discussion thread. Reddit is a fine place to anonymously spew cynicism, and I hear TGR’s forums are hotbeds for it. WildSnow, however, is not the place. Sorry Gman. But don’t worry, I’m sure Kremmling is far enough away from everything that the newbs won’t infiltrate your super secret stashes.
I’ll admit $50 for a day of earning my turns sounded rather underwhelming at first, but being a contrarian, the more snarky comments I read, the more intrigued I became. Sure, if you’re a crusty old skin-tracker, there is more to harrumph at here than Mary Jane has bumps. Unfortunately for the dignity of your harrumphing, reading the content of both this site, and the Kickstarter page will likely reveal that you are not their target audience.
As Darin pointed out, the industry has been caught in a paradox of trumpeting the danger of avalanches, while human-powered skiing continues to be fastest growing segment. The response of most resorts has been to throttle down access of the same, as they have failed to find adequate means to monetize uphill skiing.
Bluebird’s model recognizes the under-served beginner ski-touring market. On recent hut trip, I found myself in a group where I probably had the fewest cumulative years of skiing, yet found myself dispensing very basic advice about ski touring gear; “No, the sticky part of the skin goes on the base of the ski, the furry part stick out;” “What you want to do is rotate the heel unit so that your heel can move freely.” The further one advances their skill level, the easier it is to forget how profound the challenge can be of figuring out uphill ski gear, and technique.
Having a warming hut / lodge at the top would be an amenity with broad appeal across the skill spectrum. Who doesn’t like have a warm, dry place to change over gear, and hang out for a few minutes before heading back down? Especially for beginners, or the casually committed uphill skier, this makes a big difference if you aren’t familiar with the intricacies of your gear.
In the spectrum of land use between fully developed and wilderness, ski areas are somewhere in the middle. For uphill skiers who have poached uphill access on bad snow days: it seems like the ski hill as we currently think of it is overly narrow in their conception of what skiing is.
I guess I hope we are all advocating for Wilderness areas too!
If my comment was upsetting and inappropriate I offer my apology. I am just getting a bid cranky in my old age is about my only excuse. Although I do not agree sometimes with what I read I guess I should be more aware of making a feel good comment instead of resorting to sarcasm.
I think Wild Snow is a great website with intelligent and articulate writers, and I have garnered many tips and advice from it. Thanks Lou you always seem to be showing the way from your experience and competence, hopefully it will continue to rub off on me.
White Grass Ski Touring Center operating since 1981. Nordic, alpine touring and tele skiing. Bluebird the first of it’s kind? Visit the website and you decide.
I hope that these types of businesses, if they ever take hold, only open fee access for private lands and do not lease public lands for fee access businesses.
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