I Love Snow Mountain

Picture this...It's 26 degrees, light snow has been falling for hours, overcast skies, over 5,000 acres to explore, at 9,000' elevation, and the best part, 100 km of trails.  OK, it's time to have some fun.

Betty enjoys a walk in the trees on the Snowshoe Hare Trail.

 

 

Today, four downhillers with our group spent the day at Winter Park Resort.  The other eleven outdoor geeks came toting snowshoes or XCountry skis.  Light snow all day would be a reminder, this area gets lots of snow.  One report has 108 inches to date.  Snow provided that touch of authenticity needed for many of the back country images today.

Stables and storage for the horses are close to the Nordic Center.

The Nordic Center is located at dead center of this dramatic winter landscape.  Sound advice from a staff member puts us on the Snowshoe Hare Loop Trail.  The path snakes its way through the trees, past a horse barn, before dropping to cross Pole Creek.

XCountry skiers on the Pole Creek Trail.

Beyond the creek, we soon reach a junction with the Columbine Point trail.  We knew this would be the most challenging part of the day.  A number of stops made the climb to the top a pleasure.  Time and time again, I stopped on trail, and made a 180 degree turn, to see the landscape behind me.  Decades of hiking have proved that a thirty second stop is worth the time to observe your surroundings.   Or as my motto suggests, "It's all about the Journey."

Ingrid and Betty start the climb to Columbine Point.

A check of my watch indicates it is close to noon.  I look for a spot to set up a mini kitchen.  Woah!!! To my left at about ten o'clock is a stand of Aspen.  The site is no more then twenty yards off trail.  One step into the virgin powder tells me snow depth is more than 12" in the area.

This guy is working hard while I'm having soup.

A handful of huge lunging steps, followed by extended pole plants, into the bottomless blanket of glistening diamonds, puts me in the middle of a small family of Aspen.  My snowshoes make perfect tamping tools.  Side step left, then right, then left again.  Turn 90 degrees, do the side step again and I have a four foot square area of packed snow.

With stove and wind screen in place, 8 oz. of water is waiting to boil atop a high flame.  A table cloth of clear plastic is spread on top of the snow.  Items needed for lunch are placed on top.

Less than four minutes later, the pot of water is causing the lid to vibrate.  Add noodles and powdered chicken broth.  A hot pot of Ramen noodle soup is minutes away.  I am standing in a sort of mini pit (12" of tamped down snow) making the snow shelf easier to reach.

Ingrid and Betty on their way to check out Gold Mine Loop.

What a spot, Columbine Point.  There is a 360 degree view of the landscape.  I can see XCountry skiers down in the valley, while others glide by me within ten yards.  "Hey", one guy yells out as he and a woman pass by.  They are having the best time.

In less than thirty minutes from the time I started tamping down snow, the mini kitchen is back in my pack.  I am energized for the afternoon.

After Columbine Point, Jo Murphy and Cia are still wearing smiles, as they return to the meadows.

I make my way across a groomed Xcountry trail and into an area of dense Aspen.  Through the trees, I can see two fellow-shoers on their way back to the Nordic Center.  Taking the sweep position I follow them on the gradual descent back to the meadow area where we once again follow a frozen solid Pole Creek.

Betty's Snowshoe has just stepped over the camera.  Ingrid is up trail.

We have been on trail less than four hours, but the landscapes to be experienced on this wonderful stretch of Colorado back country have been exceptional.

Ingrid and Betty are heading for the barn, actually the warmth of the Nordic Center.

We will snowshoe Snow Mountain Resort again on Thursday, March 1st.  Can't wait.

Total estimated miles/kilometers =  3.7/6.0 

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