San Juan Backcountry lines

[cmor]

I'm headed down to Silverton/Wolf Creek/San Juan area on Wednesday till Monday seeing as its been getting hammered. Looking to make a bunch of backcountry day trips, any suggestions? Or possible guide books that would have some good ideas? Not looking for real gnar lines this trip, just some deep lower-angle stuff.

[CaddyDaddy77]

On the Silverton side, or along the way there...

Little Molas Lake, easy access, and some nice mellow rollers. If El Diablo has fired up the cats yet, their may be a cat track to follow up.
On the other side of the highway, there are usually a few kickers by now and some times a few rails have been drug up that way too. Drops off right off the lookout on the top of the pass at the overlook.

There are a couple of other spots along the highway that are easy to access also, a few with hich-hike loops if you do it right, but might recommend a guide or finding others to make sure you stay on the right path.

In Silverton, head north, go right instead of left at the ski resort sign, and follow the road past the old 100 mine, there's more up there than you can explore in a lifetime, Maggie Gulch might be decent now and not too difficult to access either.


On to Wolfie, there's some fun stuff right on the top of the pass, but would recommend staying on the left side if you are approaching from Pagosa, as the other is full of snowmobilers. When you get to the top, there is a pull out on your left just before it breaks downhill to make the corner to the entrance to Wolfie.
There is another section before you reach the summit on the right hand side, that has some easy access, but is also well-traveled by snomobiles, look for the pullout. Forewarning, I have been towed off of the pass before for parking just inside of the no-parking zone, so make sure your were your supposed to be, it was a pricey ticket.


Might recommend, hitting up Mike or Stan at Silverton for some additional info both rip and have some great knowledge about the area. See if they have a day off and are going out, definately worth tagging along.

Have fun, stay safe. Hope this helped.

[raddam]

http://geosurvey.state.co.us/Avalanc...2220041432.jpg

[Crinkle]

take it easy out there I've seen a few warnings out about the avy danger. Other than that it sounds like a kick ass idea, take some pics.

[Buster Highmen]

I've been told the Minnehaha Basin past Silverton Mountain and N/E of the Gladstone mine is a good spot.

[Storm11]

cmor, shoot me a PM...I'll probably be up at Minnehaha on Saturday or Friday. I'd be more than willing to show you around....definately stick to the trees though, everything has been ripping around here. Red Mountain 3 ripped to the ground this weekend. Scary stuff, but Minnehaha is pretty solid.

[Cornholio]

I've been told the Minnehaha Basin past Silverton Mountain and N/E of the Gladstone mine is a good spot.

By whom?

Oh, yeah.

It IS a good spot. Rev and I hit it on an iffy stability day, and found plenty of aspects and angles available for a short-ish hike up an old road. You can get up there, dig some pits on various aspects, and just decide how you want to get down.

And, it's GORGEOUS.

I'll echo everyone else-- the southern Rockies early season is some of the sketchiest snow around. Take 'er easy.

[Ireallyliketoski2]

You can find good skiing around Mount Sneffles with good access.

[cmor]

Thanks for the info caddydaddy, i'll look into it.

I'm on top of the avie stuff, hopefully it will settle out enough by thurs for some aspects to have some skiable lines. If not, the think timber is always there.

Storm11, pm sent