Anthracites Ski - 12.31.2013

Since buying my ticket back to Colorado for the holidays, all I've been thinking about is touring in the snow zones of Crested Butte's backcountry. On Sunday, we headed south from the Front Range, and yesterday we got out for the tour that I've been dreaming of. An 11 km sled ride brought us to the Anthracite Wilderness Area west of town.

Skinning through the familiar and silent old growth forest brought back many fond memories as we approached our first run. Looking south from the top of the skin-track past the Playground and Ohio Creek. Maybe someday we'll have a nice little cabin back there...


The Athracites are affectionately referred to as the Anthracite Mountain Resort because of their popularity with the ski community here. But, a short detour off the standard skin-track, and we were standing on top of 400 vertical meters of untracked.

Photo: Jordan Scheremeta

We worked our way down, leap frogging from bench to bench. Jordan leaning it over:

Kebler Funday - 2.17.2012

On Friday Jordan, Frank, Nick and I headed out to Kebler pass for a day of skiing and snowmobiling. The avy danger around here is still quite high, and although some people are starting to get after it, we are still pretty anxious about stability. And this is exactly why we decided on a ski-sled hybrid day: we didn't want to push it too much with a full day of touring, but at the same time it was too beautiful and there was too much new snow to pass up being out. And as luck would have it, snowmobiles are still really fun where its too flat to ski!

After a late start we headed up to the Anthracites and quickly were at the top of 7th bowl. Frank dropped first:


Then I dropped and was stoked to find some nice knee deep pow (Photo Nick Matisse):


Nick took up the rear:


Frank is leaving for AK tomorrow, so he needed to empty his airbag canister before the flight. Ironically, he deployed it by tripping over it at the bottom:


Then he got in some pow turns on his sled before going home to pack:


After Frank departed, we headed up above Irwin to some of our favorite sledding meadows (Photo Nick Matisse):




Nick:




and amazing views of the Elks:


Scarp Ridge:


Big avalanches everywhere (this photo was taken standing on the debris of the slide pictured):


Before heading back in we sledded west over Kebler pass. I've never been west of Kebler Pass before, and as always its was great to see somewhere new. I'd like to head farther west out next time, but the sun was setting and it was time to head back. Mount Marcellina to the west:

Another Ski Day in the Anthracites

With the lack of new snow, exploring new terrain has been the priority lately. Yesterday Josh and I went farther into the Anthracites than I've been before, spending most of the day breaking trail through unsupportable facets. We didn't get much skiing in back there, but it was great to see some new terrain and go to an area that has been visited by only a few people this winter. On the way out we skied some steep trees that I've never skied before. Surprisingly, despite their proximity to the more heavily trafficked zones of the Anthracites, we only saw four or five other tracks there.

So, today we went back up for some more. First, we skied a run in the trees to the skier's left of Big Chute, followed by two runs in the trees of East bowl. The first run had seen enough traffic that most of the steep pitches had sloughed out and didn't ski very well. The runs in East bowl were a different story: we barely crossed another track through well spaced trees and supportable snow.

The snow to our north produced beautiful weather over us all day, clouds over the West Elks:



Josh:


Josh: 

Grete:


Josh:


Its great to ski new and relatively untouched terrain in an area that sees such high skier traffic. I was very impressed by the terrain here and can't wait to come back once we get some more snow.

Back in CB

Between going to San Francisco, finishing up my degree, and a day at Wolf Creek I've been gone from CB for over two weeks. Although, Wolf Creek was fun, I'm glad to be back to the relatively stable and deeper snowpack around CB.

Yesterday Josh and I went up to the Anthracites for an afternoon tour. As we approached the top some light clouds came in framing the Raggeds:

The Anthracites were in and out of the fog as we stood and enjoyed the late afternoon winter light:


The first lap was great, I even got to ski some pillows!


As we headed back up for a second lap Josh's skins failed completely. After a 30 minute battle this put a decisive end to our day.

Although the Anthracites were great they were quickly getting tracked out, so today we decide to head a little farther out. For part of the skin we raced the setting moon:


Nice looking turns up high:


By the time we reached the top it was amazing how much the temperatures had changed: I started skinning in my down jacket, ski jacket, face mask, balaclava, and helmet; by the top I was sweating profusely in my short sleeve long underwear.

Fortunately, the north facing terrain was well protected from the warm sun. Adam dropping in:

Nick:



Adam:


Yours truly (photo Nick Matisse):

We had the zone to ourselves seeing only one other group, but when we arrived back at the start of the skin there were close to 10 sleds parked next to mine!

Anthracites Ski - 11.16.2011

Today Zach and I headed up to Kebler Pass to see if we could find something to ski. Because I had just arrived in CB last night and Zach had been out of town as well we didn't know what to expect. 

Over the last couple years I have become accustomed to skiing zones and ranges I know pretty well or at least have seen before. This was the first time I have been in this area, and like always, it was a treat to see something new! I spent the skin up enjoying the views, its different than the front range here as most of the terrain lies below treeline. 

This cliff wall is what ski dreams are made of. I wonder if anyone has ever skied it?

Marcellina Mountain

The Rubys and the terrain of CS Irwin

The Raggeds

Reaching the top we did a short 500 vertical foot investigatory lap through some open trees. It felt good to ski the first steeper powder I've skied this year. The snow skied well, but we could feel the windslab from last weekend's storm under our feet. Switching back over to our skins we quickly reached the top again and went to check out a slightly more open and steeper chute just left of our last lap.

Looking into it we could clearly see where a scarily deep slide had released on a crossloaded north aspect. We wanted none of this so we continued to some mellower terrain farther to the left. Dropping in this run was better than the first: no tracks, deeper snow and more fun terrain. After about 700 vertical feet we reached the bottom of the line and more ski tracks. So, we headed back up to regain our old ski track.

Zach on our second lap

Early winter afternoon light

For our last lap we headed to the right of our previous two laps. Although not as steep and with heavier snow than the other laps, this lap provided the longest sustained pitch of the day (1300' vert). It was great to link turns through the mellow terrain.

Zach on our third lap

It was great to get out in a new zone with a new touring partner. I'm looking forward to many days in this area. The skiing was good up high, hopefully with another storm the terrain down low will start to fill in.