Backcountry near Durango?

**wilcox510** · 02-21-2008, 03:39 PM

My wife and I are considering a change, the skiing is great, but Salt Lake is just too big for us. We've been considering Durango, among other places. Coming from Salt Lake and previously Jackson, I don't expect the skiing (backcountry in particular) to be quite the same but I don't really have a good feel for what its like. This is what I think I know: sketchy snow pack, much lower snow totals (at least at Purgatory?DMR), friends who have been to DMR weren't that impressed. So how much backcountry skiing is there to be had mid winter, how easy is access (how close to town), how sketchy is the snowpack for real etc etc etc. How far is Wolf Creek? Good touring near there? Any other thoughts in general would be appreciated.

CG · 02-21-2008, 03:42 PM

Silverton is within 50 miles

**easyrdr** · 02-21-2008, 03:46 PM

Head north my friend, you will find what you seek, between Red and Silverton your're pretty well set. WC gets the snow but it takes one to appreciate what it has to offer-definitely take a trip and ski it. Snowpack is sketch compared to where your're coming from but doable. What makes this neck of the woods desirable is it's location relative to everywhere else. That and Durango is just a kick ass town. Plan on driving a bit if purg doesn't fulfill your ski needs.

**FrankZappa** · 02-21-2008, 03:53 PM

La Plata's are w/n 15 minutes.
As for the rest that is w/n an hour and a half... How many lifetimes do you have?

Sketch pack... Better know your shit, and practice it. Then it's just fine. Sometimes you gotta settle for meadow skippin.
WC = 90 miles.

Dumbest thing I ever did was move away from that town.

**bones get broke** · 02-21-2008, 04:50 PM

Don't expect much from Purg, unless you really enjoy dodging douche puddles from New Mex and Oaklahoma on pretty flat terrain.
Wolfie has it's days. The trick to WC is knowing where the stashes are and learning how to link them up while minimizing the flat areas.
As far as BC, Wolf Creek Pass, Silverton, Red Mtn Pass, and Coal Bank Pass are all super accessable with many options for goods even with sketchy snowpack.