Colorado ski partners wanted

Hopefully you’re having better snow there than we are here. Total of 5” in the past 3 weeks. With the daily melt-then-freeze cycle. It’s like skiing on the parking lot. 🧊 🧊 🧊
We’ve been getting just enough to keep it fun, but I’m ready for another big dump like we had at Christmas.
I took one run off mountain chief on Monday and those are marked as single black but right now like 99.9% of that ridge is a 10ft vertical drop in of pure ice.
I was looking back up the traverse off the lift at ski patrol like a whimpering dog until thank god I found a nice little roll in.
I was seriously panicking a little bit and thought I was gonna have to take off my skis, boot back up to the top and ski off the other side. Lol
The cliffs and rocks up there look wayyy further apart from the bottom of the lift btw.
 
We’ve been getting just enough to keep it fun, but I’m ready for another big dump like we had at Christmas.
I took one run off mountain chief on Monday and those are marked as single black but right now like 99.9% of that ridge is a 10ft vertical drop in of pure ice.
That’s the issue with copper in a nutshell during early-ish season. So much of the alpine terrain is just not fun unless it’s getting snow every other day. At that point, just lap Bee/Alpine/Bee or Timberline/Sierra.

If you’re gonna go to all the work to hike up there, you should at least take an aggressive off-piste route back down. You could easily hitchhike back to your truck from here…
Conceptually, I second this! In reality, where you drew that arrow is a doghair spruce forest nightmare. But in that spirit, you could take the glades near formidable to the Triple Treat lot and bus back to any part of the village.
 
If you’re gonna go to all the work to hike up there, you should at least take an aggressive off-piste route back down. You could easily hitchhike back to your truck from here…
(n)

1. Don't duck a rope
2. Never under any circumstances ski backcountry solo (this includes side country)

The vast majority of backcountry deaths in CO occur in terrain that's lift accessible, eg. East Vail.

Backcountry skiing is way more dangerous than hunting, your risk tolerance needs to be adjusted accordingly.
 
(n)

1. Don't duck a rope
2. Never under any circumstances ski backcountry solo (this includes side country)

The vast majority of backcountry deaths in CO occur in terrain that's lift accessible, eg. East Vail.

Backcountry skiing is way more dangerous than hunting, your risk tolerance needs to be adjusted accordingly.
I don't agree... which seems to be a trend lately :(

But you do have to know what you're doing, it's not for beginners, and I don't mean skiing, I mean competent risk assessment and mitigation. Please, don't start BC skiiing solo, at night.
 
I don't agree... which seems to be a trend lately :(

But you do have to know what you're doing, it's not for beginners, and I don't mean skiing, I mean competent risk assessment and mitigation. Please, don't start BC skiiing solo, at night.
Hard no, too many people I know have died. I've seen people get buried, I've been invited on trips, declined, then heard later that people on the trip were killed, I've been partially buried.

Not worth it.
 
Hard no, too many people I know have died. I've seen people get buried, I've been invited on trips, declined, then heard later that people on the trip were killed, I've been partially buried.

Not worth it.
So you did everything right and got partially buried? There's too many people I know that BC every weekend. I've never been with any of them when multiple pits weren't dug and lines weren't eliminated due to safety. IMO it's about ego and lust. Keep those in check and it's no worst than biking to work (which we've lost WAY more people to than BC).
 
So you did everything right and got partially buried?
Yep, although apparently not right...

There's too many people I know that BC every weekend.
I never said don't go in the backcountry, I said don't go solo, don't get suckered into side country. Resorts are 'mostly' safe ( I was at A-basin when a guy died in an inbounds slide) and people often get a false sense of security skiing side country. Risk goes from 0 to 10 instantly, even on a similar slope aspect. You don't have people doing avalanche work, you don't have ski traffic compacting the snow.

You need to exit the resort at the gate, ski with a partner and have a beacon. Just like doing a tour way off resort you need to look at conditions, and be willing to pull the plug.

The majority of backcountry skiers are checking conditions and mostly skiing 'blue' terrain which to be honest probably wouldn't slide in the worst conditions, but a lot of side country is actually incredibly steep and dangerous all things considered.

Also skiing tight trees falling into tree well... doesn't even take bad conditions. Have a buddy.
 
you need to look at conditions, and be willing to pull the plug.

Have a buddy.
Those are good tips for sure.

blue terrain can be the freakin worst man. I mean 30 deg is optimal for slides. that's blue man.

Does CO have something similar to NWAC?
Their social can be really good too.
 
Those are good tips for sure.

blue terrain can be the freakin worst man. I mean 30 deg is optimal for slides. that's blue man.

Does CO have something similar to NWAC?
Their social can be really good too.
 
Those are good tips for sure.

blue terrain can be the freakin worst man. I mean 30 deg is optimal for slides. that's blue man.

Does CO have something similar to NWAC?
Their social can be really good too.
Trail rating is kinda subjective but this is generally in line with my understanding.
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Keep those in check and it's no worst than biking to work (which we've lost WAY more people to than BC).
I feel like the risk of hypothermia makes it a bit more dangerous than biking.
If you get knocked out on your bike in the summertime you’re prob not gonna die from dehydration in 30 min.
 
I feel like the risk of hypothermia makes it a bit more dangerous than biking.
If you get knocked out on your bike in the summertime you’re prob not gonna die from dehydration in 30 min.
Also, deaths/aggregate hours of activity would be interesting. Most bike riders die when hit by a vehicle or when hit head on something hard when not wearing a helmet. Skiing is not likely to result in death by vehicle though you face avalanche, snow squall, head hitting something hard, head in a tree well, tree spar poking into you and getting lost which can then introduce hypothermia. If someone's ego gets the best of them on a bike they probably have to walk home and are sore the next day. Same ego on skis is riskier as harder to walk home. Not carrying a beacon or similar device plus a shovel and probe (if not solo) is a reflection on ego level, yes? What percentage of bc skiers are carrying beacons? I know we rescue some idiots every year off a nearby mountain that get reported by family as overdue but carried nothing electronic onto the mountain since wanted to be just pure man vs peak, not that sissy stuff where are responsible adults not wanting to put rescuers at risk.
 

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