Eric, psyched to be up on the Maroon Bells.
Recent climbing conditions on the Maroon Bells are great right now. Continue reading »
May 092012
Apr 262012
Spring is here in the Rocky Mountains. The days are pleasant, the leaves are bursting, and there is still good ski access to the high country.
This is a magical time of year in the Elk Mountain Range when you can ski, rock climb, hike and alpine snow climb ….. all in the same day. Conundrum Couloir and the “Y” Couloir on South Maroon Peak are in ideal shape and absolute classic climbs.
Independence Pass is rumored to be opening early …we’ll you keep you posted.
Contact us at info@aspenexpeditions.com to reserve your mountain guide for next ascent.
Climbing the "Y" couloir on South Maroon Peak
Mar 192012
Amazing images of how powerful a large avalanche can be. This before and after imagery was captured by the Canadian Avalanche Center in the Selkirks during a large cycle that ran this year.
Before - Large growth pines throughout
Same shot after a Class 4 Avalanche
Mar 142012
Opus Hut
A fellow guide and I had the pleasure of spending a night up at the newly opened Opus Hut after finishing up a AIARE level 3 avalanche
Following the trail in on the summer road. Great steep skiing on the north aspect glades (left)
course in Silverton a few weeks ago. The hut which is located on an old mining claim is located at treeline a few hundred yards to the west of the top of Ophir Pass and has some of the best ski touring in Colorado. With warm sunny weather in the forecast we started from the trailhead a few miles north of Silverton around 9:30am. The access follows the summer ophir pass road up past several south facing avalanche paths which require some caution during elevated danger. Overall the grade is minimal and the skinning easy with an overnight pack. We reached the hut after around 2 hours of skinning and were greeted by owner Bob and friend who had just skinned in from the Ophir side.
The hut, which sleeps up to 16 including hut-keeper is an architectual masterpiece. Using old ax cut beams from an old dairy barn on the mining claim, the hut has quite a bit of character. Continue reading »
Mar 062012
John and Pete Gaston, after taking the win by two seconds at the 2012 Power of Four race.
Hats off to Pete and John Gaston for their win at last Saturday’s Power of Four Ski Mountaineering Race. Their two-second win over Team Crested Butte’s dominating duo, Bryan Wickenhauser and Brian Smith, was about as close as it can get. Continue reading »