COLORADO | UNITED STATES

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Summary

COLORADO Mountain Ranges

COLORADO Mountain Ranges
Colorado and snow go together like pretzels and beer. Where the skis on the roof racks are worth more than the cars themselves. High peaks and ample terrain make there plenty to ski in Colorado. However Colorado's light fluffy snow is more dangerous than Sarah Palin, and twice as good looking.

Mountain Ranges

BERTHOUD PASS (3)

ELK MOUNTAINS (7) | 300+ inches a year

The Elk Mountains are home to some of Colorado's finest ski descents. Located in the western part of the state, the crowds are few and the snow ample. With such peaks as Castle, Pyramid, and the Maroon Bells, this is a great place to be for spring ski mountaineering.

FRONT RANGE (6) | 350 inches a year

The Front Range is home of Tyrannosaurus Rex as well as some of Colorado's tallest mountains which carry the continental divide along their shoulders. Overlooking the vast emptiness of the Great Plains to the east; it is hard to live in Colorado without being affected by this prominent mountain range on a daily basis. Standing as a barrier to the Rocky Mountain west, the Front Range is Colorado's great wall that separates civilization from the wilderness.

GLENWOOD SPRINGS AREA (1) | 250 inches a year

Backcountry ski options in the Glenwood Springs area.

GORE RANGE (1)

INDIAN PEAKS (4) | 300 inches a year

Just west of Boulder and Longmont lie the Indian Peaks atop the continental divide. The mountains are composed of rugged cirques and deep valleys that are remote and hard to access in the winter months, but much easier to access in the summer. The range extends north from the James Peak Wilderness up the the southern boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. The Indian Peaks are also known for their multitude of classic, steep, spring ski descents.

LA PLATA CANYON (0)

NORTHERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS (1)

PARK RANGE (1) | 500 inches a year

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Park Range (elevation approximately 12,000 ft) is a mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of northwestern Colorado in the United States. The range forms a relatively isolated part of the continental divide, extending north-to-south for approximately 40 miles (64 km) along the boundary between Jackson (east) and Routt counties. It separates North Park in the upper basin of the North Platte River on the east from the Elk River basin in the watershed of the Yampa River the west. It rises steeply out of the Yampa River basin, forming a climatic barrier that receives much snowfall in winter. Steamboat Springs, a popular ski resort community, sits on the southwestern flank of the range, at the base of Mount Werner. Much of the range is located within the Routt National Forest, with the summit of the ridge located within the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, named for Mount Zirkel (elevation 12180 ft). The range is prominently visible from both sides and forms a picturesque skyline from much of North Park. It is traversed at its southern end by Rabbit Ears Pass which carries U.S. Highway 40. It is also traversed by Buffalo Pass which carries a gravel road between Steamboat Springs and Walden, and which is traversable by most vehicles in good weather in summer.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK (2) | 400 inches a year

Roughly 40 miles north to south and 15 miles across, the Park rises abruptly out of the eastern plains near Fort Collins, Loveland, and Lyons. The mountains are steep, rugged and remote, often involving fourth or fifth class climbing to reach the distant summits.

ROUTT NATIONAL FOREST (0)

SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS (SILVERTON) (5)

SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS (WOLF CREEK PASS) (1)

SAWATCH RANGE (4) | 350 inches a year

A central Colorado mountain range which includes eight of the twenty highest peaks in the Rocky Mountains.

The Sawatch mountains in general are high, massive, and relatively gentle in contour. While some peaks are rugged enough to require technical climbing techniques, most can be climbed by a simple, if arduous, hike. Notable summits include Mount Elbert, Mount Massive, La Plata Peak, Mount of the Holy Cross, and the Collegiate Peaks (Mounts Columbia, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale). (wikipedia)

TENMILE RANGE (2) | 300+ inches a year

The range is an extension of the Mosquito Range. The Tenmile Range is on the west side of the divide, and the Mosquito on the east. The range has great high altitude backcountry skiing that is relatively easy to access. The highest point in the range is Quandary Peak with an elevation of 14,265 feet.


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All Locations>>UNITED STATES>>COLORADO
People die skiing in the backcountry every year. Avalanches, crevasses, trees, human error, weather, tree wells, rabid sasquatches, among other things can kill you in an instant. Use this guide at your own risk, we are not responsible for any wanker getting all wanked up in the wankin' backcountry. That being said, even the most experienced backcountry skier can get caught off guard. Take avalanche classes, carry a beacon, probe, shovel and avalung AND KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. Just because you buy them, doesn't mean you get magical powers of invincibility. Many people who own beacons have no clue how to operate them. More importantly than any gear you can buy, you need to know how to safely travel in avalanche terrain, minimize potential hazards, and interpret how weather affects the snowpack. This requires time and experience. Learn from others, be safe and courteous, and when in doubt go home and live to ski another day. The amount of snow needed to be dug up to rescue a buried victim, on average weighs right around an actual ton. In North America 25% of victims die from hitting trees, rocks, and other sharp unforgiving surfaces. It only takes one miscalculation to have the mountains kick your ass. Just because you see tracks or someone else skiing a line, does not mean you should ski it. Remember, individual actions affect all of us. Take care of each other out there, we are all on the same team.