Adventures of a Colorado (non) Native

By:  Ben
May 30, 2011


This is a guest trip report written by my good friend and longtime skiing partner Noah Harwood. Noah recently moved to Boulder, CO, and has had a great spring of skiing in the abundant backcountry locales of the Front Range. Here is the story of some of the highlights of his first few months in Boulder…

Back in early March Laura and I implemented a truly unoriginal plan: we packed up our ailing vehicles with ten pairs of skis, six bikes, two kayaks and a tub of climbing gear, and left New Hampshire for Colorado. If you’ve been following the weather out west this year you surely know that the skiing was not about to disappoint. When we arrived the snowpack was already 20% above average, but the white stuff just hasn’t stopped coming! Just last Friday, Kye and I skied 20” of prime powder—enough for me to break out the tele skis—so it’s no surprise that the snowpack here now sits at 120% above average.

Despite so much snow we’ve still had a number of persistent deep layers that are still lingering…under 6-8’ of snow. For me this has meant that I haven’t gotten on many of the steeper lines I’ve been eyeing, but this hasn’t been too much of an issue since a day of powder skiing will usually satisfy me. Until things consolidate some of the steeper lines might remain eye candy.

Laura looking at some of the eye candy back in March

Closer to our new house than Mt. Washington was to our old one.

Laura enjoyed our first day in the alpine. Blue skies, good snow and growing cornices.

We had our eyes on the peak in the background for later in the week.

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Read about the author:   Ben
Enjoy this TR? Read another: TR: Patalsu Peak, 4200m

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8 Comments

  1. K_C
    wrote on May 31st, 2011 at 10:35 am  
    1

    Awesome TR Noah! Looks like you guys are enjoying yourselves out there.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Noah
      wrote on May 31st, 2011 at 11:43 pm  
      2

      Thanks KC, it’s been a phenomenal season out here. You and Greg should come visit if you’re getting the urge come July…

  2. Skimohr
    wrote on May 31st, 2011 at 2:38 pm  
    3

    Nice report guys. I was skiing up in the Indian Peaks late last week, a zone I used to ski frequently while living in Boulder through the 90s… I can’t believe how chock full those mountains still are this year! No doubt, the snowpack is still full of surprises…but June is going to be epic. It will be a good month to get to bed early… Be safe and have fun out there.

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Noah
      wrote on June 1st, 2011 at 12:20 am  
      4

      Glad you got to experience the snow firsthand, it’s been a phenomenal season and the higher peaks aren’t showing many signs of melting yet. We were up by the Maroon Bells this past weekend and they’ve got significantly more than the Front Range. Shouldn’t be hard to get 12 months this year!

  3. Porter Haney
    wrote on May 31st, 2011 at 5:26 pm  
    5

    Great write up, Noah. Glad to have you.

    Always fun to pack up the car and root around somewhere new. Keep it up!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
    • Noah
      wrote on May 31st, 2011 at 11:47 pm  
      6

      Sure is, you’ve got to mix it up sometimes. Although after skiing that April 8-9 storm in Utah I’m thinking SLC wouldn’t have been a bad option either! You guys have got it pretty good this year.

  4. Max
    wrote on June 1st, 2011 at 4:06 am  
    7

    Pretty awesome Noah, beautiful pictures. Hope I get to see more of the front range through you soon…

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
  5. Peter
    wrote on June 1st, 2011 at 8:06 am  
    8

    Endless Winter, keep it coming!

    Respond to this comment/comment thread
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