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June 17, 2009
"Backcountry Skiing the High Peaks
of New Mexico and Colorado"
by Scott Hsu -
Bio & Amy Bauer -
Bio, of Los Alamos,
NM
The combination of
climbing peaks and skiing is a marriage made in heaven. Under a blanket
of white, the majesty of the mountains is amplified. Even better yet,
the tediousness of dealing with downed logs, talus fields, and scree-filled
gullies is replaced by pleasant skinning through forests and snow
climbing up aesthetic couloirs.
Amy snow climbing up Traitor Couloir on the
north side of American Peak (13806')
in the San Juan Mountains, CO.
Photo taken by Scott Hsu (June, 2008)
Best of all is the
exhilarating ski descent that has you back to your car and cold beer in
no time. Indeed, there are no better travel tools for snow-covered
mountains than two 5 foot long wooden planks with sharp metal edges
strapped to your feet!
Scott skiing spring powder on the northeast
face of Lake Fork Peak (12881')
in the Wheeler Peak Wilderness, NM.
Photo
taken by Amy Bauer (April, 2008)
In this slideshow, Amy
and Scott will use the backdrop of their backcountry peak ski descents
both to provide an educational angle on what it takes to go from being a
proficient inbounds resort skier to a backcountry skier (including brief
discussions of equipment and avalanche concerns) and to show examples of
the fantastic backcountry skiing amidst high peaks that we have right in
our own backyard of New Mexico and Colorado. |
