Highway 66 (Highway to Hell)- IN

Stairway to Heaven -IN

1st Gully- IN

2nd Gully- IN

Hoser Highway-IN

Tempered by Fire-IN

Giant Steps- FORMING

Have fun out there!

Ian A.

Ice conditions for the 2010/11 winter are shaping up pretty good so far. On Saturday 11/20/10 we went up to South Mineral Creek outside of Silverton to get on some early season ice and scope out the conditions in the rest of the area. To start off the season we got on the Direct North Face of Peak 12,579′. The steep sections were in superb condition except for the last pitch that is still dripping wet. Crossing of the creek at the bottom was the most exciting part of the day; its still not frozen. South Mineral Creek climbs are all coming into fine shape. Don’t forget to sign up for a great day on the ice this year with one of our Ice Climbing Courses and check back regularly for current conditions in the San Juans!

Ian A.

Looks like winter is here to stay in the San Juans! A powerful winter storm is set to impact the area starting this Saturday through the middle of next week. 2 + feet of snow is expected for the Southern and Northern San Juans, and the storm is tracking on SW flow. Hopefully this pattern continues as it did during the winter of 2007-2008 during which we experienced a strong La Nina weather pattern, but due to the positioning of the San Juans we received one of our best snow year’s on record.

Here’s the link for the full special weather statement by the National Weather Service out of Grand Junction.

Remember, early season snow generally means less stable snow conditions throughout the winter. If you haven’t already taken an avalanche course then now is the perfect time to sign up for one of our AIARE Certified Level 1 or Level 2 Avalanche Courses. New this year we are also featuring a 4 day Level 1 Comprehensive Course. Click on the links to find out more and don’t hesitate to give us a call with any questions. Don’t forget that we offer online registration for these courses! See you this winter.

ND

Recently our head ski guide Andrew Klotz did some ski touring the in the San Juan high country to get a read on conditions and see how the skiing was shaping up for the season. He’s happy to report that the San Juans, particularly around the Silverton area and in the 550 corridor near Red Mountain Pass have received a good deal of snow from recent storms and the skiing is great. Check out the turns in the picture below:

More weather in the forecast for this weekend (check out the forecast here), and it looks like despite the prediction of a La Nina winter which typically favors points north, we’re still in for another great winter in the San Juans. In fact the last La Nina winter was 2007-2008 and we received one of our best snow year’s in recent history. All this means great conditions for Avalanche Courses and Backcountry Skiing Trips, so give us a call to reserve your spot on a course or trip today!

ND