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HomeSkiHometown Mountain Shoutout: Wolf Creek, CO — My Religious Mountain House

Hometown Mountain Shoutout: Wolf Creek, CO — My Religious Mountain House

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Powder skiing through fun terrain after a big storm at wolf creek.
A skier turns by bountiful powder within the glades at Wolf Creek. Picture: Wolf Creek

Only a few are fortunate sufficient to name Wolf Creeok, Colorado, house. Nestled between the huge San Juan mountains and the arid San Luis Valley, this ski space finds itself in a really distinctive location. Wolf Creek is a full 5-hour drive from Denver, has no onsite lodging, and is 20+ miles from the closest cities of Pagosa Springs to the west and South Fork to the east. It could be onerous to name this your hometown hill until you reside in certainly one of these two cities, but this family-operated ski space has achieved loads of success and neighborhood recognition for the reason that slopes first opened in 1939.

Fresh powder in the bowl Fresh powder in the bowl
Trying down into the Step Bowl on a bluebird day. Picture: Writer

North Texans, locals who haven’t graduated to the backcountry, and other people like myself typically name Wolf Creek house. Rising up in Florida, I used to be solely launched to the good sport of snowboarding in my late teenage years, nevertheless it was love at first flip. When my household first moved to the Entrance Vary throughout my junior yr of highschool, I shortly grew to become decided to get pleasure from each inch of snow, ridge, and path that this unimaginable state has to supply. I skied 64 days at 14 totally different ski areas this previous season, and I can definitely say that my audacious 24-hour journeys down previous the Tenmile Vary, by the quaint cities of the valley, and onto the continental divide at Wolf Creek Cross have been a few of my best reminiscences of an unimaginable yr. I met Pagosa locals, long-timer Texans, and a lady from Alaska, all with large grins on their faces and an insatiable starvation for pow. 

A small line forms at the short ascent to the knife ridge.A small line forms at the short ascent to the knife ridge.
Skiers excitedly make their approach as much as the snowcat. Picture: Writer

“The Most Snow in Colorado”

With a mean annual snowfall of 430 inches, this place sees frequent 2+ foot storms and might maintain powder for days, if not weeks. With a vertical drop of 1,604 ft, a lift-served space barely exceeding 1,000 acres, and solely 3/8 lifts being high-speed quads, this spot isn’t any mega-resort. As a substitute, the distant location, distinctive journey, and native vibe make this a must-visit vacation spot for any true powderchaser. Though small on paper, this mountain has unimaginable, assorted terrain, and there may be nothing extra rewarding than first tracks within the Horseshoe Bowl after a beautiful journey on the snowcat. The Knife Ridge and its chutes are such an attention-grabbing problem for knowledgeable skiers, and the Alberta Peak zone gives an extra above-treeline expertise. As talked about, although, many of the superior/knowledgeable terrain and attention-grabbing options are usually not lift-served and require a average hike or snowcat journey when circumstances permit.

Whereas the Indigenous Peoples are after all the rightful custodians of the land, it’s the religious house of courageous and stoked — me included. That is the place the place you sleep within the automobile with some buddies within the car parking zone to drown in snow within the morning. It’s the place the place you be taught what climbing actually is and it’s the place you will have to persuade your self to go to, however will probably be value it each time.

Ski runs at Wolf Creek Ski AreaSki runs at Wolf Creek Ski Area
Wolf Creek’s terrain is exclusive and assorted. Picture Credit score: Wolf Creek



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