In early-April my Dad, my cousin, and I were fortunate enough to spend two spectacular days on Western Europe’s highest peak, Mont Blanc. Both days came at the beginning an eleven day ski trip we took to France/Switzerland. Though we headed to Chamonix with no particular agenda in mind, I think we were all hoping weather and conditions would align for us to spend a few days high on Europe’s “White Mountain”. Keep reading…
I’ve been meaning to ski Mount Toll’s classic South Face for years now. Toll can be easily previewed from a number of vantage points around Boulder and the Front Range, as well as its neighbors, which saves the aspiring skier a lot of gas money on wasted reconnaissance. Ron Haddad’s “Front Range Descents” includes a number of routes from the Mitchel/Blue Lakes region and Toll seems to get the most raving reviews. Keep reading…
With some uncertainty with mother nature, a more conservative option was chosen, both in distance and in slope moderation. A nice group of 6 joined in on this day meeting at the trailhead at the immediate west side of the Eisenhower around 8am. We literally drove through the westbound tunnel, slowed down and took our first right in to a plowed pull off. Keep reading…
Mount Silverheels, elevation 13,822 feet, is the 96th highest peak in the state of Colorado. It sits just east of Mount Bross and Mount Lincoln between Fairplay and Breckenridge. The mountain itself is massive, covering approximately 3 square miles, with its closest 13,000 ft. neighbor being Hoosier Ridge over 3 miles away to the north. With its gradual slopes, the peak is an excellent choice for a winter trek and is most often accessed from the north and west from Hoosier Pass/Route 9 and from the south via Fairplay. Keep reading…