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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Boston
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    688

    Wolf Creek & Silverton

    Thinking about putting a trip together for 4 days to Southern Colorado.

    After searching about El Nino and/or Wolf Creek I found this:

    Some Jackass Texan wants to ruin the place.

    AND

    Southern Colorado + New Mexico = above average

    Does anyone have any info on Wolf Creek as far as the mountain goes? Don't really care about lodging unless someone has a line on a cheap place. Looks like not much vert but some pretty solid skiing especially the terrain off the Alberta Lift.

    The decision to be made is: Fly into Montrose or Durango? Montrose yields Telluride and Silverton while Durango will get me to Silverton, Wolf Creek, Wolf Creek Pass and snowcat access.

    I've got a free flight so I might as well use it to fly somewhere pricey.

    Trailmap:

    http://www.wolfcreekski.com/maps.asp

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    north by northwest
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    9,456
    you know, you could use the search function to find out whether others haven't posted experiences/trip reports/pictures and videos from there.

    just a thought.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Cloud City
    Posts
    8,733
    Maybe I can turn this thread into something useful. Dec 5-6 is the opening for Silverton, I think. Would love to swarm that place with a giant posse of maggots.
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
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    Northern San Juans
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    1,033
    I dont want to cause trouble but I would not go on a vacation to wolf creek. In my minds its a decent local mountain but is not great(terrain wise). Obviously im bias to Telluride but Wolf creek is not in the same league even with all that snow. If silverton(pretty fun spot) is a must then go to Telluride or Crested butte. Another option would be to skip silverton and ski Taos which is a sick mountain and lodging in taos(town) is cheap.
    Deeppo

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Seattle
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    33,538
    Quote Originally Posted by reganized View Post
    Location: Boston
    Quote Originally Posted by Summit View Post
    For someone who lives in Boston, you post more about Colorado than 99% of Coloradans.
    Ask Buster. He's from Boston.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    hell, CA pop 4
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    2,398
    i see Wolf Creek as a place for locals or near distant locals to take the kids and not break the bank. the lack of vert. feet was pretty unispiring to me. nice vibe and nice people, just not something to fly across the country to vist imho.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    688
    I was thinking about going to Silverton for two days and then two days elsewhere. I've got other trips in the works and was looking to try something besides Denver, SLC, Jackson, Tahoe for a change. The flights into Durango and Montrose don't require a travel day which is key for a long weekend trip.

    If Wolf Creek is too tame for two days of skiing, I'll probably do Silverton/Telluride or look into Taos

    What's so bad about a desk jockey from Boston getting a crapload of days out west each year and hitting northern VT the rest of the time.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    Down In A Hole, Up in the Sky
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    35,321
    Quote Originally Posted by PNWbrit View Post
    Ask Buster. He's from Boston.
    PM Rontele. He is the web manager for Wolf creek.
    Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Cloud City
    Posts
    8,733
    Quote Originally Posted by reganized View Post
    What's so bad about a desk jockey from Boston getting a crapload of days out west each year and hitting northern VT the rest of the time.
    The desk jockey part. The rest sounds pretty good.
    Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
    Henry David Thoreau

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Durango, CO
    Posts
    759
    I'll ad my $.02...

    Telluride will probably keep you more entertained as far as terrain goes.
    The nice thing about the Wolf is the price (especially on "local" days... though you don't have to be local) and the fact that you can find some fresh for at least a week after a storm. Telluride is tracked within 4 hrs tops... ridiculous how fast that mountain gets schralped...
    The Wolf definitely doesn't have a ton of vert, but plenty of mini-golf style huck options in the Waterfall, Alberta Peak and Knife Ridge areas

    With that being said.... if Taos has good snow, skip it all and just go there.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    33,538
    S'ton/T'ride combo.

    First time at S'ton?

    Well in case it is - their WWW does a very good job explaining exactly what to expect. Make sure you read it carefully. There's a significant number of people you see there everyday who clearly didn't and are shocked rather than charmed by the basicnicity of the set up. Same goes for their advice about accurately assessing your ability when choosing speed of group. A lot of people blow up and are done by morning. It's significantly harder than skiing hard bell to bell at a big ski area. So pace yourself. Be realistic. Relax and soak up the atmosphere and the pure joy of the place, just don't soak up too much of the atmosphere near the pit toilet.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Durango, CO.
    Posts
    512
    Quote Originally Posted by SheRa View Post
    Maybe I can turn this thread into something useful. Dec 5-6 is the opening for Silverton, I think. Would love to swarm that place with a giant posse of maggots.
    ^^^^This would be rad.

    Regan, drop me a line when you make your decision. You could easily ski all three (WC, T-ride, and Silverton). I'd be glad to show you around Wolfie and Silverton. Don't know much about Tride, I've ridden there twice during the last two days of last season because it was mad cheap and dumping. Otherwise, I try to avoid the $100 ass rape lift ticket. If I'm going to pay that far out the ass for a lift ticket I'll head to CB where I can stay at my bro's for free.
    The police never find it as funny as you do.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    50
    Don't forget about the altitude coming from Boston. I have tried the waves to mountains and hiking hard and it doesn't work too well. So if you choose Silverton don't do it your first days. Do it your last days and be in good shape.
    And with Silverton remember your only going to get a few 4-6 runs a day. My guess is 4. So while it should be a cool 4 runs its a real short ski trip.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    T-town, CO. USA
    Posts
    2,098
    I would fly into Montrose then do the Telluride/Silverton link-up. They are both within striking distance and give you a choice of a sick-gnar bc style "resort" and a world class destination resort. Both with sick terrain. Both very different.
    Leave No Turn Unstoned!

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Boston
    Posts
    688
    I've had pretty good luck with the altitude. A bunch of Boston-Aspen trips. the only time got whacked with Altitude sickness was going from Venice to base camp of the Matterhorn in 24 hours. That sucked.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    DFW
    Posts
    95
    I'm a Texan, and I'm an asshole, but not that asshole lol.

    WC is where I head for long weekends. For a day or two, there's enough terrain to keep you entertained. More than that... and you'll be wanting. Even during spring break there are no lift lines (especially off the Alberta lift). Lapping is the name of the game. If there's enough snow and you like bowls, definitely do the traverses to get over there.

    I was there over Thanksgiving in 06 and it was great, even with a thin base. I've been there also when there's been 3' in a day (fun digging the truck out then!).

    The altitude is a factor for sure.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    The Padded Room
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    5,299
    Quote Originally Posted by deeppo View Post
    I dont want to cause trouble but I would not go on a vacation to wolf creek. In my minds its a decent local mountain but is not great(terrain wise). Obviously im bias to Telluride but Wolf creek is not in the same league even with all that snow. If silverton(pretty fun spot) is a must then go to Telluride or Crested butte. Another option would be to skip silverton and ski Taos which is a sick mountain and lodging in taos(town) is cheap.
    Deeppo
    Wolfie delivers the goods early season. Always. T-ride, 50 -50 at best.
    .....Visit my website. .....

    "a yin without a yang"

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Colorado Cartel HQ
    Posts
    15,932

    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by rideit View Post
    PM Rontele. He is the web manager for Wolf creek.
    Hey also mans the fryer in their cafeteria. PM him for some lunch specials.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    The Padded Room
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    5,299
    Quote Originally Posted by Cyber Cop View Post
    Wolfie delivers the goods early season. Always. T-ride, 50 -50 at best.
    if you mean riding the lift. Otherwise...
    .....Visit my website. .....

    "a yin without a yang"

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by goofygrin View Post
    ole lol.

    For a day or two, there's enough terrain to keep you entertained. More than that... and you'll be wanting.
    Someday the tejanos will discover the trees, until then, game on...
    .....Visit my website. .....

    "a yin without a yang"

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    DFW
    Posts
    95
    Oh, we know about the trees There's just noone else out there lol.

    Plus all the tejanos are at red river in their jeans lol.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    The Two-Ten.
    Posts
    798
    Quote Originally Posted by deeppo View Post
    I dont want to cause trouble but I would not go on a vacation to wolf creek. In my minds its a decent local mountain but is not great(terrain wise). Obviously im bias to Telluride but Wolf creek is not in the same league even with all that snow. If silverton(pretty fun spot) is a must then go to Telluride or Crested butte. Another option would be to skip silverton and ski Taos which is a sick mountain and lodging in taos(town) is cheap.
    Deeppo
    I've skied all of these spots and I'd have to say, say, wolf creek is totally a locals mountain, however, the terrain there is sick. The mountain does lack vert, compared to telluride or silverton, but there is still plently of awesome terrain. Lift tickets are cheap at wolf creek and silverton.

    A good trip would be telluride and silverton. The drive from telluride to silverton isn't far, especially if red mtn pass is open. Telluride has great slackcountry options and really sick terrain. But if your going in dec/jan, some of there more ridiculous stuff like black iron bowl or the gold hill chutes probably won't be open. You'd most likely enjoy the vert and steepness or telluride, however its very expensive compared to wolf creek.
    -T
    "If you make a splash, You SUCK!"
    http://www.tjdavidski.com

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    en route
    Posts
    598
    Quote Originally Posted by reganized View Post
    and snowcat access.

    Has anyone done the cat skiing outside of durango?
    http://boc123.com/snow/snow_cats_san...s_san_juan.cfm

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Pemberton, BC
    Posts
    2,228
    Quote Originally Posted by yemntftb View Post
    I've skied all of these spots and I'd have to say, say, wolf creek is totally a locals mountain, however, the terrain there is sick. The mountain does lack vert, compared to telluride or silverton, but there is still plently of awesome terrain.
    are you kidding me?? Wolf Creek is one of the lamest over rated hills i've ever wasted my money on. WC is really, really flat with a few short boring sections steep enough to ski. man, that place is sooo overrated.

    stick with Silverton and/or tour red mtn pass.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1thenaton1 View Post
    Has anyone done the cat skiing outside of durango?
    http://boc123.com/snow/snow_cats_san...s_san_juan.cfm
    I went with that outfit a few years ago and had a great time. It made for a good cool-down day after two days at Silverton. The terrain wasn't fully gnar but the snow was fantastic. I was with a group that filled one cat and that was a great way to go. The guides were casual and cool - their instruction at the top of the run was usually something like "Go tear it up!" which was kind of welcome after two days of the Silverton guide's fairly strict direction. One of the guys took some good pictures of that day:








    And the food was good too.

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