Berthoud Pass 2011-2012 Observations, Conditions and Stoke

**RockBoy** · 01-21-2012, 09:14 AM

IMHO, there are 2 options at BP right now...

1) Ski fast and risk hitting those big rocks, stumps, and logs that are barely covered (very painful)
2) Ski cautiously and sink into the facets which will slow you to a snails pace (very frustrating)

(option 3 is to stay in gaperville at the top, but who really wants that shit show)

After tonight's storm, there should be no options for anyone until it settles. Seriously, it's gonna be an awesome avy cycle. And I mean awesome as in huge, not fun. Not worth the risk on Sunday. Take a few days to ride the lifts. It will get better eventually.

**ullrdrool** · 01-21-2012, 09:26 AM

skiied with drt till 4:00 yesterday and it was awsome. you could go as fast as you want and not hit anything. 8-10 inches fell while we were there.

**Pinner** · 01-21-2012, 11:11 AM

BP skiers: I HIGHLY encourage you to read today's avy bulletin and base your decisions on that, rather than ^^^

**RockBoy** · 01-21-2012, 11:17 AM

^^^ 8"-10"? Snotel is only reporting 3".

In other news, there was a lot of natural activity I saw from a distance on Tues. Whatever the bowls are behind and north of Stanely were sliding big. Looked lke a sign of things to come. And the Avy forecast is downright scary right now.

**drt** · 01-21-2012, 07:52 PM

It did snow 8-10 on Friday. You could ski as fast as you wanted finally in several spots. Heard it was real nice today. Tomorrow will be good if you know how and where to travel safely.

**bamboocoreONLY** · 01-21-2012, 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by RockBoy

^^^ 8"-10"? Snotel is only reporting 3".

In other news, there was a lot of natural activity I saw from a distance on Tues. Whatever the bowls are behind and north of Stanely were sliding big. Looked lke a sign of things to come. And the Avy forecast is downright scary right now.

I almost never go along with berthoud's snotel site. it's in a terrible spot...

**Ireallyliketoski2** · 01-23-2012, 10:00 PM

Skied BP on Sunday, stuck to the trade routes on the east side and it was good. Felt good to be skiing on snow.

**Poop~Ghost** · 01-24-2012, 12:04 PM

Taken: 1/23/2012
Saw this on reddit/skiing : full size

**BraddA** · 01-24-2012, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Poop~Ghost

Taken: 1/23/2012
Saw this on reddit/skiing : full size

Damn. That's the biggest I've seen that go.

**melotime** · 01-25-2012, 12:49 PM

whoa that's a big one!

**NYCOH** · 01-26-2012, 11:45 AM

saw this on powder addiction's site...

not of BP but i know a lot of you also ride Jones Pass...map and area names of JP

**Fritz** · 01-27-2012, 10:58 PM

I'll be up there solo skiing the safe routes above the top lot, both sides. Red jacket and bros. Looking for a partner.

**teleyakco** · 01-28-2012, 12:46 AM

The guy at Winter Park was "skiing solo in the safe spots",when he died last weekend.There aren't to many safe spots anywhere right now,so be safe.I had friends up there today,and they talked about major collapsing and slides even between trees about 5-10 ft.apart.It's russian roulette right now so be safe!It takes alot of resourses to pull a body outta the trees up there.

**guroo270** · 01-28-2012, 10:08 AM

I was just driving past East Vail this past Wednesday, and pretty much everything that could slide had done so naturally. Steep slopes, easy slopes, everything.

**Wobby** · 01-30-2012, 08:58 PM

With the lack of snow and now sketchy avy conditions, this thread is lacking some stoke.
I'd like to offer a challenge:
Post up your best berthoud pillow shots from previous seasons. Lets get the stoke back!

**slaymore_sessions** · 01-30-2012, 11:25 PM

Don't have any pillow shots, but here's a pretty rowdy one from my solo skiing in the safe spots yesterday.

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Also saw this large natural on the Current Creek Headway

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**Temagami** · 01-31-2012, 11:12 AM

CP, March '10

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**Mike_Records** · 01-31-2012, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Wobby

With the lack of snow and now sketchy avy conditions, this thread is lacking some stoke.
I'd like to offer a challenge:
Post up your best berthoud pillow shots from previous seasons. Lets get the stoke back!

Heres a framegrab of Erik Mehus on triple rock last year:

and a couple more:

P.S. I miss you Wobby! Hows the shouldah?

**soylent green** · 02-01-2012, 10:26 AM

@Fritz

Give me a shout when you need a partner. We skied up there on Sunday and stuck to the frontside and had a blast. The steeps were a little cut up, but soft and fun. We decided that we would have more fun skiing the skier compacted frontside than trudging around in the facets and meadowskipping. Its funny, the conditions this year have caused us to yo yo more than I've done in a long time.

**smmokan** · 02-01-2012, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Wobby

With the lack of snow and now sketchy avy conditions, this thread is lacking some stoke.
I'd like to offer a challenge:
Post up your best berthoud pillow shots from previous seasons. Lets get the stoke back!

**drt** · 02-01-2012, 06:56 PM

Me off Hollywood

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Trippy from the top of Triple Rock

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Take off

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**Wobby** · 02-01-2012, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Mike_Records

Heres a framegrab of Erik Mehus on triple rock last year:

and a couple more:

P.S. I miss you Wobby! Hows the shouldah?

Nice shots Mike. Snow was awesome last season, but its hopefully picking up.

The collarbone was good to go last week, but then I smashed my knee on some rocks. Looks like I'll be out a couple more weeks with an mcl sprain. Just in time for some better snow

**Fritz** · 02-01-2012, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by soylent green

@Fritz

Give me a shout when you need a partner. We skied up there on Sunday and stuck to the frontside and had a blast. The steeps were a little cut up, but soft and fun. We decided that we would have more fun skiing the skier compacted frontside than trudging around in the facets and meadowskipping. Its funny, the conditions this year have caused us to yo yo more than I've done in a long time.

Thanks Jim. That's exactly what we've been hitting and not bad under the circumstances. Need to tell you about the snowpack around the nokhu hut last weekend. Foof. Might be in need of a partner this weekend at bert.