Telluride/Ophir Backcountry

[PowLicious]

Been lurking on here for years and finally have a legit question to ask. Looking at doing the San Joaquin in the next week with a few friends. Does anyone have beta on conditions in that area? Mainly, is there enough snow in the coulior for it to go? How's the dust layer affecting the snow there? Appreciate any info.

[reidhresko]

still snow to make it a go, but the quality won't be good. dusty layer = there. since t-ride is closed, best approach will be up the south face backside from Ophir. drop a car in town, so you can ski to the car and run it as a shuttle.

[deeppo]

I bet the snow will be decent in the chute(maybe even good?). Dust layer has made a appearance but shady slopes are still looking good. Certainly ophir approach is the easiest and only way because the forest service has decided not to let anyone on the ski area till the end of april. Exit might not be the best through lower grand dad or monkey bars(in low snow I generally go skiers right of granddad to avoid the cliff that is probably showing). Have fun and go early
deeppo

[PowLicious]

Thanks! Planning on a early start.

[lynchdogger]

Been lurking on here for years and finally have a legit question to ask. Looking at doing the San Joaquin in the next week with a few friends. Does anyone have beta on conditions in that area? Mainly, is there enough snow in the coulior for it to go? How's the dust layer affecting the snow there? Appreciate any info.

Not my choice for a spring ski - north facing and does not see sun to soften. Hope snow ends up good for ya. Great line when in! Get some.

[OphirPow]

Report from the top of 9 today was about a foot of new, kinda heavy snow. Some cracking in places. Could be scary when the sun comes out. Things should settle out relatively quickly especially with warm temps this week but the SJ should ski very well. Just be carefull of the new snow. Too much tragedy down here this year. Approach from Ophir can be fairly safe if you stay on the ridgeline but prior to this storm the South facing slopes were very melted out so plan on some walking if you do it later on in the week. Plenty of snow in the couloir for a great ski. Be safe. HAve fun. Definitely an uber classic.

[PowLicious]

Report from the top of 9 today was about a foot of new, kinda heavy snow. Some cracking in places. Could be scary when the sun comes out. Things should settle out relatively quickly especially with warm temps this week but the SJ should ski very well. Just be carefull of the new snow. Too much tragedy down here this year. Approach from Ophir can be fairly safe if you stay on the ridgeline but prior to this storm the South facing slopes were very melted out so plan on some walking if you do it later on in the week. Plenty of snow in the couloir for a great ski. Be safe. HAve fun. Definitely an uber classic.

Definitely. Was wondering how the new snow would bond down there. We're looking at Friday morning early. Hoping things should settle out by that point but we will be keeping an eye on the weather and forecast conditions. Super classic line. Hope we get a chance to tick it off.

[lynchdogger]

Report from the top of 9 today was about a foot of new, kinda heavy snow. Some cracking in places. Could be scary when the sun comes out. Things should settle out relatively quickly especially with warm temps this week but the SJ should ski very well. Just be carefull of the new snow. Too much tragedy down here this year. Approach from Ophir can be fairly safe if you stay on the ridgeline but prior to this storm the South facing slopes were very melted out so plan on some walking if you do it later on in the week. Plenty of snow in the couloir for a great ski. Be safe. HAve fun. Definitely an uber classic.

That's what ya need. Nice refresher. If conditions are good and you get the green light you won't forget that line for years to come. My last time was 1997 and it was all time. Enjoy. Please be safe.

[Mudfoot]

Attachment 114491

Have not been up there this year, but in the surrounding areas the new snow did not bond very well to the dusty melt freeze layer it fell on. OTOH, the SJ Chute has high steep walls and gets zero sun, so it tends to have it's own unique snow conditions, which are always more wintery than everything around it. The foot of week old new is probably the best condtion you can hope for, soft resistance without enough to push you too hard, provided it bonded sufficiently. I skied it in those same conditions several years ago and it was money. I heard the slope was measured at 49 degrees at the rock choke in the middle, and the pitch is pretty much consistent all the way down.

A point of caution: this has been a very windy year and there is usually a good size and sometimes double direction cornice on the ridge directly above the chute, which would be very steep and roll over. The sun may have greatly reduced it, but it is likely you will not be able to look down and see the chute from the ridge without going out on the cornice, so be very careful in that area. People have skied that direct line, but it can be close to 60 degrees and unstable for the first few turns. The alternative is to continue along the ridge through the channel behind the cockscomb and then traverse back left across the hanging face to the top of the chute. Getting into the chute from the ridge will probably be the most dangerous part of the route because it is all a no fuck up zone.

You'll need a freeze in Ophir the night before and an early start because if it is a warm there will be stuff coming off the high cliffs on your way out through the narrow part of the lower canyon. Good luck, I hope you and your freinds pull it off.

[PowLicious]

Heard it might rain today/tomorrow which isn't as inspiring. From Ophir was originally planning of coming up the adjacent drainage to gain the ridge. Is it a bit less exposed to take Ophir Pass up and traverse over onto the ridge? Does anyone know what Bear Creek is looking like as far as coverage?

[Mudfoot]

I believe the easiest climb to the ridge is to go through Ophir and up the Pass road, cross the creek (you can probably drive to there now), and then go a couple hundred yards further up the road to the big open slide path. You can see the T-12 turret at the top of the ridge. Climb this valley and when you get above tree line take the left ridge to the top. This will put you on the Peak, which requires a slight down and around climb to get over to the SJ chute. There is probably a more direct route right from town, but I believe it is steep enough at the top to require crampons.

The other issue is leaving a car it Telluride. They have goofy parking regulations, so if you do not have a place to leave a shuttle the City Park at the end of town is probably the closest you can leave a vehicle to where you will come out of Bear Creek.