Berthoud Pass Backcountry Skiing

Scott McMahon wrote:Nice...might have to hit it up saturday if I don't go to eldora.

check the forecast....not looking good...

curt86iroc wrote: check the forecast....not looking good...

Yeah considerable across the board. See steamboat could get up towards two FEET today and tonight? maaaannnnnn

Skied Caribou a couple days ago and it was knee deep fun. Looks like they are predicting another 10-18" over the next couple of days. At least once that all settles down we'll have great base... (If it doesn't get blown away)

100 mph winds predicted. Will make for some monster avalanches. One thing to be aware about: a 100 yr or 500 yr avalanche will mow down large trees.

Back in the 50's Disney films set off 2 cornices on the east side of the pass. The 2 avalanches joined up and became one monster slide. Just west of Berthoud Falls. The slide wiped out a huge swath of trees, rolled up to the first switchback and killed the filmmakers. Disney erroneously said it took place in the Sierras.
The scars are still there.

KevinCO wrote:100 mph winds predicted. Will make for some monster avalanches. One thing to be aware about: a 100 yr or 500 yr avalanche will mow down large trees.

aikibujin wrote:This looks like a good place to post my question. I took my AIARE I class last year, and just want to do some beacon practice this year. I thought some ski resorts have "beacon parks" where you can practice beacon search, but I haven't been able to find any info. Does anyone know if such "beacon park" exist close to Denver?

About 6 years ago, I lived at 12th & Galapago and I bought my wife a beacon for her birthday. I buried her Christmas gift in a snowbank off Galapago and gave her my beacon. She spent a few minutes navigating flux lines around the tennis courts, animal adoption center and the occasional curious vagabond, but eventually she located her victim.

With enough snow, we've used even practiced at places like Cheesman, Wash park, etc....

Moral of the story; It was great practice even with all the urban "interference" and we conducted several more drills.

What you don't get from urban search sites is practice searching while skiing downhill over potentially large debris, probing for more than a foot, and digging your companion out from beneath concrete like snow.... that's what 2 day old snow banks are for ;)