Meriwether Fabrications: Just the way it is

Lots of imaginable scenarios for that title including some cheesy pop lyrics. But today it's just a heading for the palette known as "Front Range skiing." It's not Jackson, it's not Little Cottonwood Canyon, it's not even Berthoud Pass, it's just the way it is. Either you learn how to love it, or you will certainly hate it, because it's the way it is and it could care less whether you find it's stashes.

It's a lot like singletrack in this area - you have to explore hours on end to find it, but when you do it's well worth the trouble. In fact, you learn that the exploring is most of the fun. The singletrack is broken up with lots of 'portages' where you may have to hike with and possibly shoulder your bike, or figure out the locals route obscurement and deal with (or be) Stickman (the one who doses out the slash). The rewards are endless though, especially for backcountry skiing where there is virtually no limit to the route you take.

A common day at the tunnel finds you skinning uphill for over 2 hours, getting generally "turned around" thinking you've been there before but more likely not, and getting about 10 good powder turns in (that is, if you don't head back up for another lap or two on that 300 ft vertical stash you just found). Ok, yes, there are places where that's not the average but for most of my days out there it is. So why do it? See the following pictures. These were taken a mere 30 minute non-traffic'd drive from my house. No I-70 traffic to deal with, and less driving is always a good thing for multiple reasons.

So today me and Hayride headed up above the tunnel and went searching for some new views to see and new slopes to ski. It did snow this week but only maybe an inch since I was here last Monday.