Well, this past Sunday was another "Local Appreciation Day" (no ID required) at Wolf Creek Ski Area. The offer of a full day of skiing for $25 was further enhanced by the 8" of fresh powder - and there were a fair number of people anxious to accept that offer! I spoke to folks from Denver, Longmont, Fort Collins, Durango and Albuquerque who had come a long way for the Wolf Creek experience. It's amazing how far the "locals" will travel for good snow at a good price.
Many of these folks were accomplished skiers who took great advantage of the challenging skiing out on Alberta Peak and the Knife Ridge. As a result - one simply needs to hike further for fresh untracked snow.
Yesterday, my husband and I took our alpine-touring skis and "skinned" out to Spooner Hill for a picnic lunch and the chance to set the first tracks on the entire hill. This is within the ski area boundaries, but few people ever spend the time (and considerable energy) to get there.
The view from the ridge was outstanding, the snow was incredible and lunch was pretty darn good (of course I made it). This photo of the South San Juans was nicely framed by an arched dead tree. Double click on the photo to get the full experience.
