TR CO: part the last, Ski Cooper, Leadville, A-basin

[davidski]

Last installment on this trip -- I moved around a lot--



--I do these long-*** reports as a record for myself and because I like detailed reports that other people post, sometimes I read them sometimes I just run thru the pictures, sometimes I look at them later if I'm going to that area--



That's my disclaimer for another overweight TR . Driving into Leadville (elev. 10,200'), Dorothy we're not in Aspen anymore

















I stayed at the Leadville Hostel and I want to stress the quality of this place -- $18 for the dorm rooms, the bunks are oversized with Curtains and all -- decent locker for each bed.











All my roommates were good, but Chris's golden lab, Marley?, was by far the best. Some pictures of the Leadville hostel and Bill , the proprietor (he is a blues aficionado, I don't know if he plays, but he's certainly close to many good ones; blues is constantly streaming in the common areas with no apparent repeat, a lot of festival and bootleg recordings.... awesome muzak











you can go to the top of 7th street and skin straight up to West Mt Dyer, with many hills in between (next year I will have my touring gear together)









So about SKI COOPER



Another sweet little mountain, actually much smaller then Sunlight. Difference is that Cooper sits deep in the middle of giant peaks and some huge remote terrain (a lot of molybdenum and 14ers, not much else)











bottom







top (feels a lot like home in certain ways, the the many church tour buses added to that feel)







Inside and a great, little bar with a staff to remember --you can't smoke inside, they all smoke, so you time your orders according to their endless smoke breaks-- loud, fun women







conditions weren't great but still I spent a lot of time in the trees







and especially looking up at chicago ridge -- they run overpriced cat tours up there but there is an access gate right beside the second chair lift that leads to some very clear tracks up to the timberline or into all those varied sets of trees



To me this looks like a supersized version of the Canaan Valley lift access to Bald or Weiss knob -- I want to spend days next year based in Leadville exploring this stuff and the peaks rising above Leadville



















Day 7

was at Loveland again -- getting windy











I demoed Icelantic Nomads -- awesome







this is the right side of the ridge -- looking along the spine you see the rim of the next large basin/cirque -- that is th far edge of the terrain accessed hitching and hiking off of Hwy 6 and LL pass









Last Day!!



I got up with my buddy again and on the way to A-basin I stopped at Empire Sports in Downieville --exceptional place-- and rented the Icelantic Nomad SFT for $23/day



that will be my next ski to tour w/the barons I still have waiting and ready. Why the sft is much better then the regular I don't know except that the flex makes it perform like a more rockered ski -- maybe? i don't know but its brilliannt



A-basin sunny but frozen pretty hard







everything just stayed stiff because of the winds, ultimately only the main lift remained open.



But I got runs into trees left of Pavallacini that were as challenging as anything I've tried -- because they were completely tracked and though not frozen still very firm; nothing soft there to shed your momentum-- the 168 Nomads ruled



















on the way out John dropped me at the top of LL pass and I skied down and met him at the main switchback-- so fine, and I finally spotted one of the most solid of the various huts (more a house) -- but I had to go, too bad























Loved my whole season can't wait for the next ( you're not seriously still reading this? )

[pagamony]

Finally a trip report where I have been to all those places. Leadville rocks and Cooper is quaint. I spent as much time talking to staff as I did skiing (it is small). Chicago ridge, otoh, is really immense and would be fun to explore. Glad you got in your trip.

[Ga Skier]

Okay dave Im freakin jealous.Still havent made it out this year....GRRRRRR