Jan 24, 2008, Buttermilk Pt (10,100'), Elk Mtns, CO
1/24/08
US elsewhere
1720
0
Day 25
1-24-08
Buttermilk Point (10,100'), Elk Mountains, Colorado
It was -10F along the Castle Creek Road overnight. A little frosty on the inside of the Subaru, otherwise, a fine sleep. I warmed the car up and got into my ski gear. Another day in Paradise.
My next objective was the area between Snowmass Ski Area and Buttermilk Ski Area, a place denoted as "the Buttermilk Sugar Bowls - Backcountry" on Dawson's accompanying topo map, a place noted for mellow terrain and Aspens. Sounded like just the ticket. It was a simple 15 minute drive back into town and up the steep West Buttermilk Road to the promised public parking lot - but would it cost me to park? I wondered.
My itinerary for the trip had changed overnight as a friend left a message on my cell saying he was calling in sick on Friday and could meet for a ski if I was back in town. I told him I could meet him up on the Divide first thing, and now planned to camp in the A-basin lot and beat the storm. I had a whole day ahead to explore in good weather and the promise of a powder day up on the pass the next day with a friend I hadn't skied with in 6 years. Followed, of course, by the Saturday arrival of my brother to kick off the 2008 Powder Tour. Things were looking up.
I arrived at the public parking lot at the end of the West B Road and was pleasantly surprised to find it empty (save for a few odd cars to reinforce that it really was public parking) - and it was FREE. The sun was just rising over the Buttermilk ridge and it was going to be another bluebird day. Oh things were looking up, indeed.
After a quick gear up, I was on my way, planning on the usual semi-subterfuge usually required of ski area accessed BC. The parking lot was about 100 VF above the bottom of a lift, and so the ski trail literally ran right past the parking lot - very convenient if you happened to have a season pass and enjoyed mellow lifts (there was no base lodge in sight of this hinterland parking lot). I looked up and down the slope - empty - as the lifts were still and hour from running. Then I saw the sign, right at the edge of the lot, facing my car. Ah-oh, this can't be good.
"Attention Uphillers," it began, (Uphillers? As in, multiple people doing what I was doing?) then went into a short list of requests like "Please stay to the right" and "Stay in single file", etc. All of which were not expressed as outlaw, but merely to reinforce common sense. I was delighted. Here this Ski Area doesn't ignore climbers, like a strange "Don't ask, Don't tell" mentality, but actually engages and teaches them. My impression of the Aspen Ski Company improved dramatically with this simple 2 foot square sign.
I marched quickly past the sign, across the ski run, and out into the forest, following an old jeep road.
The ski trail followed mellow grades up through magical Aspen forests and eventually led to a mellow open snowfield just below the ridge. The Sugar Bowls! It had been a couple of days since new snow, and the tracks in the 8" of fresh from the last storm showed signs that at least one group had skied the area.
While the snow on the Hurricane Point descent had some sun and wind elements, due to the W and SW exposures, the Sugar Bowls suffered none of these detractions, facing due north and with plentiful protected trees, the snow was delightful boot deep powder. I do several laps of 800 VF or so, charging the open bowls and then dancing through the magical aspens down to a flat open area.
On my last climb I decide to tour the ridgeline, and traverse the ridge toward Buttermilk Point, the true summit of the ridge and a couple of hundred vertical feet above Buttermilk ski area. At the summit is a well-used fire pit and a park bench. What was I to do, but to take a seat and enjoy the views into the Maroon Bells wilderness? Followed by surprisingly good powder down to the top lift station of Buttermilk, and onward down the immaculate ski runs.
1-24-08
Buttermilk Point (10,100'), Elk Mountains, Colorado
It was -10F along the Castle Creek Road overnight. A little frosty on the inside of the Subaru, otherwise, a fine sleep. I warmed the car up and got into my ski gear. Another day in Paradise.
My next objective was the area between Snowmass Ski Area and Buttermilk Ski Area, a place denoted as "the Buttermilk Sugar Bowls - Backcountry" on Dawson's accompanying topo map, a place noted for mellow terrain and Aspens. Sounded like just the ticket. It was a simple 15 minute drive back into town and up the steep West Buttermilk Road to the promised public parking lot - but would it cost me to park? I wondered.
My itinerary for the trip had changed overnight as a friend left a message on my cell saying he was calling in sick on Friday and could meet for a ski if I was back in town. I told him I could meet him up on the Divide first thing, and now planned to camp in the A-basin lot and beat the storm. I had a whole day ahead to explore in good weather and the promise of a powder day up on the pass the next day with a friend I hadn't skied with in 6 years. Followed, of course, by the Saturday arrival of my brother to kick off the 2008 Powder Tour. Things were looking up.
I arrived at the public parking lot at the end of the West B Road and was pleasantly surprised to find it empty (save for a few odd cars to reinforce that it really was public parking) - and it was FREE. The sun was just rising over the Buttermilk ridge and it was going to be another bluebird day. Oh things were looking up, indeed.
After a quick gear up, I was on my way, planning on the usual semi-subterfuge usually required of ski area accessed BC. The parking lot was about 100 VF above the bottom of a lift, and so the ski trail literally ran right past the parking lot - very convenient if you happened to have a season pass and enjoyed mellow lifts (there was no base lodge in sight of this hinterland parking lot). I looked up and down the slope - empty - as the lifts were still and hour from running. Then I saw the sign, right at the edge of the lot, facing my car. Ah-oh, this can't be good.
"Attention Uphillers," it began, (Uphillers? As in, multiple people doing what I was doing?) then went into a short list of requests like "Please stay to the right" and "Stay in single file", etc. All of which were not expressed as outlaw, but merely to reinforce common sense. I was delighted. Here this Ski Area doesn't ignore climbers, like a strange "Don't ask, Don't tell" mentality, but actually engages and teaches them. My impression of the Aspen Ski Company improved dramatically with this simple 2 foot square sign.
I marched quickly past the sign, across the ski run, and out into the forest, following an old jeep road.
The ski trail followed mellow grades up through magical Aspen forests and eventually led to a mellow open snowfield just below the ridge. The Sugar Bowls! It had been a couple of days since new snow, and the tracks in the 8" of fresh from the last storm showed signs that at least one group had skied the area.
While the snow on the Hurricane Point descent had some sun and wind elements, due to the W and SW exposures, the Sugar Bowls suffered none of these detractions, facing due north and with plentiful protected trees, the snow was delightful boot deep powder. I do several laps of 800 VF or so, charging the open bowls and then dancing through the magical aspens down to a flat open area.
On my last climb I decide to tour the ridgeline, and traverse the ridge toward Buttermilk Point, the true summit of the ridge and a couple of hundred vertical feet above Buttermilk ski area. At the summit is a well-used fire pit and a park bench. What was I to do, but to take a seat and enjoy the views into the Maroon Bells wilderness? Followed by surprisingly good powder down to the top lift station of Buttermilk, and onward down the immaculate ski runs.
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