Woodlay Ridge Tour

The Indian Peaks:
It's all about the tour. Shuffle lots, turn less.
3K of climbing, 1K of descending.
It's uphill both ways.
i could go on....
Only this group would love this tour with so few turns. 

 Heyride, Powers, Jeremy, Heather and myself journeyed up to Woodle-Lake to experience the upslope of snow we are in the midst of receiving. Although we woke up to -6 degrees today, yesterday when it started snowing it was a toasty 18.  As we got higher though, the snowflakes were smaller, yet there was almost a foot of new snow on the ground.  This place, well...it's amazing. Always breaking trail after the first 3 miles (cause it's so damned far up there), nobody up there but us Pilots, and always incredible snow.  I love skiing with this group as there is never a naysayer in the group...no matter what the conditions.  I think they're going to hate the tour and complain, but they always come back for more and end each day with, "that was FUN!" 

A very old tree, fire and lightning scars, the wind must be insane here most the time at this 11,00 ft. ridgeline

Heather down the first run, JHK waits below.

Powers down run #2, Heyride awaits

All smiles, run #2 in the background...now time for the SLOG out!

Happy Holidays!

The SMRP with Bear at the top of a hike up to Monkey Hill

Sunrise on a windy day, half moon on the right.

Sunrise...NOFX added

The Divide on a really warm day up high on Pipeline where there's usually no snow whatsoever.

Heyride rockin the Holmenkollens down Jug on a "training ski"

Ski porn

Yeah, more pics of skiing.  The pictures of today's ski with Jeremy say everything...bluebird day with no wind and lots of new snow to track up.

Pointing at Postage Stamp

Skinning up Russell Peak

 

Skinning up Moonlight Gulch

Jeremy's in the spot of the sun up there...

...and further down...

Moonlight gulch

Me heading down

 

Epic...the snow keeps coming!

Powers and Skeather

Work & Whiskey warm the weather

 

Skeather whooping in the 10 inches of new pow

1st day out in the backcountry for Powers and she will be back

Weekday skiing rules

Heyride has long hair these days. Like a hippy redneck or somthin

 Ventured out late morning to the local dawn patrol spot for some turns on the 3" of new snow.  It's not a lot, but it's been consistent this December so each day in the backcountry has been a powder day!
Some of the best, most effortless, turns of the year were had and we lost track of time which is a good thing, and bad as it gets dark so damn early nowadays!

my favorite shot of the day. Heyride with rooster-tail of powder

Ptarmagin mom. There are two young'ins under the snow in the foreground that we didn't know were there until they flew off suddenly with mom as we passed a few minutes later.

these turns were just effortless, made me feel like i know how to ski.

Butler Gulch

Visited a spot the three Pilots had never been to somehow. I've been an hour away from this place for 19 years, and the other Pilots grew up here...so WTF?! I guess because it's one of the most popular spots in this area for easy-access backcountry turns from Denver or Boulder.  It is really close..but there is some amazing terrain.  Even on a Wednesday there were more people there than I expected (not a lot, like 10...).  It was kinda like Senior day at the grocery store with a couple of ski bums thrown in for good measure.  The several older folks were on tele and snowshoes telling us where to find the best turns up there, and how they USED to ski glaciers in the Alps before their hips went bad.  I've never met two Euros on the trail here ever, and we met two today! 

It wasn't snowing until we hit 10,000ft, weird weather we're having this year, it ONLY snows on the mountains and is sunny and warm everywhere else.  Three runs, 3k vertical, 4 hours, a great day with the Vundercouple.

Heather skinning up to Pilot Peak (not named, so we named it...)

JHK approaching the top

H-bombing down "Hourglass"

JHK diving into the powder room

Swinging two heavy bats...

...one on each foot.  This year it's all about the Tour, not just about the up...or down...the entire package.  Heyride and I took the big AT gear on a longer 6 hour tour today. Windy as all heck, but that's just how it is here...back to normal this season.  The snow was amazing, this drainage is just incredible as far as remoteness, snow quality, and secret stashes of (albeit short) gladed tree runs.  You can find fresh tracks up here whenever you want to make the effort to huff it up there. 

The long skin up to...nevermind.  We got lucky enough to break trail for the majority of the day.

Overlooking the lake after a few good turns

A very large snag. The trees up here were just massive.

The ridge above the lake to the south. I've still yet to ski this slope on looker's left, but some day this season.  It's just an amazing looking 35 degree slope that drops almost 1,000 vertical (that's a lot for these parts)!

Best downhill of the day. Heyride carving the powder on one of the many alleys on the north side of the ridge.

that's a big tree next to me.