Loveland tomorrow?

**undertow2** · 10-04-2021, 03:33 PM

Gents, this is exactly the info I was hoping for…. Looking into the Rino area now…

As far as vibe we are looking for fun spots with plentiful IPAs and stellar upper end bar food (burgers, nachos, wings, etc)…. No dive bars and def no high end swanky shit…. So suggestions will be used and are welcomed…

Only other question - I know I70 regardless of day is a nightmare (was there for an extended layover due to plane issues and made the best of it and skied Loveland and shit myself with the traffic both up and down) but would our trip from Rino Sunday morning to the Denver airport be a bitch…?

And thanks again gents this was so much easier than Google…!

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**adrenalated** · 10-04-2021, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by Undertow

Only other question - I know I70 regardless of day is a nightmare (was there for an extended layover due to plane issues and made the best of it and skied Loveland and shit myself with the traffic both up and down) but would our trip from Rino Sunday morning to the Denver airport be a bitch…?

Generally it should be just fine. However, that section of the highway is under construction and may have overnight and weekend closures. But traffic through the city on weekend mornings is light.

**N1CK.** · 10-04-2021, 04:36 PM

I'm biased towards Golden

especially if you're planning on heading up to LL from the front range on the 12th.
You still have an hour drive to DIA, but eastbound on a Sunday morning wouldn't be bad traffic. Hands down the best beers in CO so at least plan to stop for a cold one.

RINO isn't a bad suggestion, more options being downtown. Either way, let me/us know if you're up for skiing and a beer or three while you're in town!

**Danno** · 10-04-2021, 05:18 PM

You said you needed to be close to the airport for that early flight? None of those places are close to the airport. Maybe consider splitting your stay? Friday night in the action, Saturday night near the airport?

**Name Redacted** · 10-04-2021, 08:13 PM

Light rail runs from downtown to the airport still right?

**N1CK.** · 10-04-2021, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Name Redacted

Light rail runs from downtown to the airport still right?

yes. if they stayed close to Union Station they'd have plenty of food/drinks options and a 40 minute train ride to DIA.

**doebedoe** · 10-04-2021, 09:08 PM

One can stay closer to the airport than RINO, but with the exception of Station 26 and Stapleton MILFs -- the extra 10min of driving is worth it for the better beer and food in RINO than closer to the airport.

Sent you a PM. Maybe the Ridge will be open by then...

**skizix** · 10-04-2021, 10:21 PM

RINIO is a funky place. Back in the day it was for sure the best place in Denver to get yourself killed. These days it’s a super-gentrified (safe as any urban area), uber-hipster, artsy area, with uncannily not a fkn child in sight. Oddly enough, not in a bad way! Wouldn’t want to live there but it’s a great/interesting place for a brief visit (if nothing else the street art is pretty amazing). Downtown (near Union Station) is fun too but will cost you.

**undertow2** · 10-05-2021, 07:39 AM

Again, thanks everyone with all the beta…. Looks like we are going to go with Golden or GTown Friday night as the closer we are to LL the better…. Will more than likely head to Rino Sat night as the beer and restaurant choices will provide plenty of entertainment to end our trip…. Our flight is 10:30 AM Sunday so would think if we are on the road by 7:30 we should be good to go…

And will absolutely hit up this thread when we hit LL for some turns and bevy’s…. Def want to put some faces to board handles…!

Thanks again Gents…! And F me so stoked for this trip…. The itch to ski and missing it hit a lot earlier than usual…

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**doebedoe** · 10-05-2021, 08:03 AM

Gtown certainly saves you a bunch of the I70 shitshow vs Golden. (But driving from WP -> DIA -> Georgetown on a friday afternoon/evening sounds sorta shitty -- not sure what logistic workaround is.) Less food and bev options but certainly enough for an evening.

My fave RINO brewery is Bierstadt because their Slow Pour Pils is one of the best beers made in the state. Other tops for me are Mockery, Ratio, Our Mutual Friend (OMF) and -- of the big boys -- Odells.

**Danno** · 10-05-2021, 12:43 PM

10:30am flight? Oh, yeah, stay somewhere fun. When you said early flight, I was thinking one of those brutal flight times.

**undertow2** · 10-05-2021, 01:43 PM

Yeah - brain fart on my end - had my flight schedule backwards…. 7:30 on the way out and 10:30 on the way home…. Just made reservations for both nights in Rino…. Place looks fun and will have had 6 days straight of skiing so if we are not at LL and on the hill by 9 the legs will probably appreciate it…

Now come on winter…! Thanks again boys…

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**timackie** · 10-27-2021, 02:57 PM

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I found this map posted with the classic orange signs warning back country travelers about avalanche control work at the gate into dry gulch today. For years, I’ve heard that Loveland had plans to do this. Is it finally going to happen? Admittedly, I’ve not skied up dry gulch in years,so perhaps the signage has been there a while and nothing is new.

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**doebedoe** · 10-27-2021, 03:03 PM

Yep, plan is to start running them in Jan snow permitting. Only on the weekends. Details on the website: https://skiloveland.com/snowcattours/

They ran a handful of test outtings last spring with friends/family/staff.

**The SnowShow** · 10-27-2021, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by doebedoe

Yep, plan is to start running them in Jan snow permitting. Only on the weekends. Details on the website: https://skiloveland.com/snowcattours/

They ran a handful of test outtings last spring with friends/family/staff.

I know it’s taking away side-country but fuck it. I’m psyched to ski back there.

**doebedoe** · 10-27-2021, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by The SnowShow

I know it’s taking away side-country but fuck it. I’m psyched to ski back there.

Yeah, the number of folks skiing that bowl midseason is pretty damn minimal -- a 3+mi skin for 7-800' laps. Now if they do they'll get some extra mitigation of the overhead hazard.

**timackie** · 10-27-2021, 04:28 PM

That’s great! I’ll be excited to see how this works and what it costs. It looks like they will let you skin in the project area if you want, but I’ve always stayed north or east of there.

**The SnowShow** · 10-27-2021, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by timackie

That’s great! I’ll be excited to see how this works and what it costs. It looks like they will let you skin in the project area if you want, but I’ve always stayed north or east of there.

Where do you see that? I’d be psyched to go skin back there during the week with avy mitigation.

**timackie** · 10-27-2021, 05:17 PM

I’m not sure where I read it, but i think it was on a USFS document from 2018 or something. Maybe on the sign today? I tried to find it again, but failed. But I also failed to find the above link, so I would be suspect of me as a reliable source of information.

**thefrush** · 10-27-2021, 05:34 PM

I've enjoyed doing a Hagar -> Golden Bear linkup in the Spring, but otherwise this cat zone is pretty far out of most of the popular touring areas. People coming up from Dry Gulch usually hit the north facing stuff off Trelease and the Coon Hillers stay on the west side of the divide.

**doebedoe** · 10-27-2021, 05:56 PM

Yeah...this is one of the least impactful expansions I can think of. Though I may be biased. I wouldn't even call it slackcountry. There's no gate nearby to access -- and while you could duck a rope off Golden Bear from inbounds that is rarely open anyways.

**The SnowShow** · 10-27-2021, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by doebedoe

Yeah...this is one of the least impactful expansions I can think of. Though I may be biased. I wouldn't even call it slackcountry. There's no gate nearby to access -- and while you could duck a rope off Golden Bear from inbounds that is rarely open anyways.

Isn’t there a gate just uphill of Awesome? Agree though, this shouldn’t impact backcountry skiing in Dry Creek.

**doebedoe** · 10-27-2021, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by The SnowShow

Isn’t there a gate just uphill of Awesome? Agree though, this shouldn’t impact backcountry skiing in Dry Creek.

Yeah...there is. But it's hardly slack country was my point. You'd have to climb and then traverse a ridge to get to the terrain they're skiing.

**adrenalated** · 10-27-2021, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by The SnowShow

Isn’t there a gate just uphill of Awesome? Agree though, this shouldn’t impact backcountry skiing in Dry Creek.

They moved the gate way downhill to the middle of the flats a couple years ago. Probably in preparation for this, to discourage people from touring back there.
I will admit the gate is in a better spot now to access A-Tow, but nearly useless for accessing Dry Gulch.
Last few times I've accessed Hagar from LL (which is the best way to access Hagar) I've just cut the rope since they don't have any gates in useful places anymore.