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The days are longer, the temperatures warmer, and the snowpack, though thin, is stablizing. We love the arrival of spring because it signifies the start of our backcountry ski touring season. Christy and I had some opportunities to get out and ski some high 13ers recently. Here’s what we found–

We finally skied Treasure Mountain. The massive 13,528 foot mountain outside of Marble, Colorado can be seen from high points all around the Elk Range.

We skied Golden Horn, 13,780 ft. last weekend, down in the stunning Ice Lakes Basin area of the San Juans. The valley is a favorite of ours, in the summer months it’s all about the wildflowers, alpine lakes and scrambles on high 13ers.

We joined friends at the Lindley Hut last week and did a cool tour on and around nearby Star Peak. I’ve always considered April to be prime time for the Braun Huts…

The season is definitely winding down. For most it was over weeks or even months ago. But we always like to keep things going until the very end, and besides, the conditions up high are really just coming into form in May. We may still get out for another day or two before truly stashing […]

The inaugural Father Dyer Postal Route ski mountaineering race took place last weekend in the mountains outside of Leadville. You might have to add this one to your calendar next season.

The stormy spring weather continues, and there’s wintery snow everywhere up high. We recently went to Belleview Mountain, 13,233 ft. up the West Maroon Valley, a peak that Christy and I have been eying to ski for a while.

[I originally posted this on Centennialskiers.com, a report from our ski trip to Pigeon and Turret peaks.] We sat on the tracks and waited. In all of our trips to the Weminuche Wilderness we’ve never seen the train run late. Ideas were floated as to what could explain the delay— rockfall or a mudslide that […]

Potosi Peak, 13,786 feet, is at the east end of the Sneffels Range. Its flat summit is unique for the area and stands out when seen among a sea of jagged San Juan peaks. From most vantage points it would appear that skiing from the summit wouldn’t be possible, but somewhat hidden from view is […]

Christy, Joey, and I skied Mount Raoul last weekend, a local summit just west of Castle Peak named in honor of the late Raoul Wille.