Backcountry SkiingCrested Butte

TR: Backcountry Skiing on Schuylkill (27 Nov 2010)

(Last Updated On: November 2, 2017)

Three days of groomers at the resort was good and it was a great opportunity to really get back on top of my skis. But three days of groomers was enough. It was time to head to back to the backcountry. But, with Frank and some of my other friends out of town this weekend, I found myself scrambling for backcountry partners. It must have been kismet when I ran into my friend Ben while getting my snow tires put on in Gunnison.

Ben and I go back a few years. I met him when I was skiing in Alaska. A former patroller at Alyeska, Ben was then attending grad school in Boise. Who knew he would later move to Montrose and then eventually to Gunnison? Funny how the world works sometimes. Either way, I was happy to reconnect and have a partner for the next day!

Ben and I headed up for some backcountry skiing on Schuykill.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

We dug a pit near the top of the ridge. We found that the snow was very shallow- only about 2.5 feet. Most of the snow was new snow from the last storm cycle with a few inches of old-snow facets near the ground.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

A view of Redwell from the ridge.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

Eventually, it was time to ski. Ben, setting up for a ski cut.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

With the ski cut, nothing moved. So, he continued down our line.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

I don’t have many action shots. But, you can tell the turns were fantastic 🙂
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

A look back at our line from further away. Our line came lookers right off the knob.
Backcountry skiing on Schuykill

It was a great day of backcountry skiing on Schuykill. The snow is good out there, especially for November! Go get some!

Brittany Walker Konsella

Brittany Walker Konsella

Aside from skiing, biking, and all outdoorsy things, Brittany Walker Konsella also loves smiles and chocolate :) Even though she excels at higher level math and chemistry, she still confuses left from right. Find out more about Brittany!

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