Backcountry Skiing

TBT TR: Skiing North and South Diamond Peaks (26 Feb 2016)

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Many of you are familiar with the Throwback Thursday trip reports I’ve been doing during the last two ski seasons, where I featured all the Colorado fourteeners that I skied. While the fourteener portion of that came to a wrap last spring, the Throwback Thursday reports themselves are back in action.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I will not be able to ski this season due to an injury. However, I skied so many days last year in so many amazing places that I still have a wealth of photos to sort through and share and the Throwback Thursday reports will provide the perfect place for me to share these memories. Beginning today. I will be posting a skiing-related Throwback Thursday report every other Thursday through March, and in the spring I’ll be even adding some biking reports to the mix. So, I hope that you’ll enjoy these reports – I think we could all use some ski stoke right now!


After a long January of mainly skiing in the Crested Butte area, the weather and snow stability began to improve throughout the state, enticing us to begin adventuring to other places. Although I can been to Cameron Pass before in winter for a couple of different yurt trips, admittedly I had never actually backcountry skied there. It was time to check out what this backcountry skiing destination really had to offer. Larry, located not too far away in Steamboat Springs, was willing to join me on my explorations of North and South Diamond Peak.

We had a nice climb to North Diamond Peak and conditions required us to do a little boot packing.
Brittany Konsella climbing North Diamond Peak.

A view of Nokhu Crags, whose couloirs weren’t quite in yet, but would be later in the spring.
Nokhu Crags

The eastern side of the Zirkels seen from afar.
Zirkels Wilderness seen from the east.

Me on the summit of North Diamond Peak.
Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing North Diamond Peak.

Larry dropping off the summit of North Diamond Peak.
Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing North Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing North Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing North Diamond Peak.

From there, we headed over to nearby South Diamond Peak.
South Diamond Peak near Cameron Pass

We enjoyed a nice walk on the ridgeline.
Larry Fontaine climing South Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine climing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella climbing South Diamond Peak.

Larry with “the gnar” behind him.
Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

South Diamond Peak up close, and North Diamond Peak in the distance.
North and South Diamond Peaks

Larry dropping in to ski South Diamond Peak.
Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Me.
Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing South Diamond Peak.

North and South Diamond Peaks both make fun skis when conditions are more stable, and accessing them is easy! Let’s hope this next round of storms brings us some good snow to lay the foundations for a good season!

Brittany Walker Konsella

Summary
Skiing North & South Diamond Peaks
Article Name
Skiing North & South Diamond Peaks
Description
Cameron Pass is one of the premier backcountry skiing zones in northern Colorado. North and South Diamond Peaks offer a great introduction into the area!
Author

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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