But wait, back to Monarch, because it’s an area worthy of a $339 pass even if you couldn’t ski in Europe with it. If you like to hike, head to Mirkwood Basin. This patroled in-bounds backcountry terrain used to be part of Monarch’s cat terrain and harbors soft snow. You will also find stashes (without a hike) in the Gunbarrel Trees.
skimonarch.com
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Home to extreme contests. Home of the telemark revival. A ski town that’s actually a ski town. Crested Butte is a pilgrimage site if you are serious about this lifestyle. Of course, everyone heads for the famed terrain on the backside of the mountain and in Teocalli Bowl, but the Banana Funnel on the front side can be easier to access and provide some first-class thrills. It’s also worth farming the terrain right alongside the North Face Lift on a powder day. It often gets ignored by everyone rushing to the North Face itself. If you want to find deals on Crested Butte lift tickets go to skicb.com/salesevents for special sale dates.
skicb.com
Telluride Helitrax
Yes, Virginia, there is heli-skiing in Colorado. For $889 bucks you can get an Alaska-esque experience right here in the San Juans. That price is good for six rides in the operation’s 200-square-mile range that will rack up 10,000 to 12,000 verts and a few days of burning thighs. If you would rather earn those turns, the company also offers guided backcountry skiing and snowboarding for $275 per person for one or $250 each if you have more than one.
helitrax.com
The Backcountry with Lifts
Meet the sidecountry. You can reach it from the resort, so it’s not really the backcountry. But it does require some work plus avalanche safety knowledge and equipment to reach—and, of course, there are untracked lines here. Want to jump in? Here are some of our favorite spots:
Telluride: Palmyra Peak
With a 1500-foot climb from Chair 12, Telluride’s 13,320-foot Palmyra Peak isn’t for the faint-hearted. If you persevere,you’ll earn breathtaking views and the chance to descend 2,000 vertical feet through 200 acres of unmatched terrain. Runs from the top start super steep (45 degrees) amidst impressive rock spires and eventually open up into massive cirques and bowls that hold untracked pow in all directions.
WOLF CREEK: Knife Ridge and Alberta Peak
Wolf Creek is famous for often racking up the biggest snowpack in the state. Ride Treasure Chair and ski to the Alberta Lift for access to tons of sick chutes off Knife Ridge (skier’s right) or the top of Alberta Peak (skier’s left), where you can enjoy a long descent through steep bowls and the Waterfall Area’s steep, narrow gullies.
KEYSTONE: Independence Bowl
Independence Bowl offers a big variety of options. Plummet down one of the four chutes—Revolution, Midnight Ride, Patriot and Liberty—for drops of up to 1,000 vertical feet. You can also hit the trees behind them for a safer option. Or just take a wide-open, above-treeline cruise down the bowl’s longest run, Two If by Sea. You can ski to the highway and hitch a ride back or you’ll have to skin out of the bowl to avoid a sensitive habitat area closure. You’ll also have to share the place with Keystone’s snowcat operation.
WINTER PARK/Mary Jane: Vasquez Cirque
“No Pain, No Jane.“ Mary Jane is known for killer moguls, steep drops, tight trees and epic open terrain. The Vasquez Cirque, characterized by cornices, cliffs and chutes provides over 680 acres of backcountry style skiing, but requires just a one-mile traverse from the Panoramic Express Lift. For the extreme expert, head skier’s right to shred the South Headwall, West Headwall or any of the Alphabet Chutes (A-G). If you’re not up for the steeps, cruise down Village Way and pass through the access gate to Eagle Wind, a jumble of ungroomed expert runs with super dense trees that only get thicker as you descend. Either way, you’ve just experienced some of the most rugged inbounds skiing in Colorado.
ARAPAHOE BASIN: Beyond Montezuma
Just a short 100-yard hike from the Zuma lift at A-Basin, you can access some of the sickest terrain this side of the Divide. Instead of dropping down into the recently opened Montezuma Bowl, jump onto the ridge heading west and drop into the bowl behind Montezuma’s. This south-facing slope holds onto snow better than Montezuma’s so deep powder stashes can often be found. After you’ve taken in the spectacular views and carved your way through the beautiful, spacious couloir, the real fun begins—trees that get narrower and narrower as you descend. Eventually, you’ll hit the road that runs between Keystone and A-Basin so stick out your thumb, hitch a ride back to the base, and do it again.
