Bluebird Backcountry "Resort", anyone been?

[The SnowShow]

https://bluebirdbackcountry.com/wp-c...-Trail-Map.pdf

Per the map, you can access Bear’s summit and drop into double black and EX. Can’t be that tame?

[hatchgreenchile]

It's pretty clear, per their trail map, that the vast majority of the operation is sub 30 degree glades.
I can't imagine those extreme chutes, below 10K and SE facing, are opening consistently.
This thread needs some mag boots on the ground, not faraway shitposting (myself included)

[powdork]

It's pretty clear, per their trail map, that the vast majority of the operation is sub 30 degree glades.
I can't imagine those extreme chutes, below 10K and SE facing, are opening consistently.
This thread needs some mag boots on the ground, not faraway shitposting (myself included)

to give you an idea, there is little more slope shaded in the danger level at Kirkwood once you remove the permanently closed cirque. There are just as many north facing chutes as south facing

[raisingarizona13]

We don't need a color coded topo map to see that there's plenty of avalanche terrain in their ski area. Colorado ain't California and I bet there's plenty of short, small pockets in those low to mid angle trees that can slide just enough to carry someone into terrain traps.

Avalanche mitigation and insurance for this place is probably very expensive.

This is a really cool model for folks that are really green, respectfully cautious and are looking for something beyond a lift served ski area experience. It's also a very cool venue for education. I'm still not sure if I think it is financially sustainable but if it's owned and run by someone that's not super concerned with profits then whatever. thanks for the contribution then eh?

[powdork]

For the dog folks it's only on Mon, thurs, and Friday and it's a $10 upcharge. From a dog standpoint, i'm also not a fan of all the barbed wire I see in the only videos out there

[XXX-er]

But they are clear that the open bowls (those pics by LHutz above) are not part of the resort and have not been controlled.

neither is the rest of canada but you wana be careful up there

but every thing below tree line which are all signed runs does not avalanche so nothing is controled, while decidely not anus clenching its fun for ever one, I know ski bro buddy who built it pretty well and he wanted to build a place where people could have fun for nothing .

https://www.facebook.com/SmithersTou...99942211403872

FB didnt really load but here is some blatant tourist advertising

[powdork]

Avalanche mitigation and insurance for this place is probably very expensive.

Plus they are apparently paying a lease too.

[I've seen black diamonds!]

Lot's of intermediate skiers are getting into BC skiing these days. I think I've seen more in the last two years than in the previous 20- people making stem turns down 18 degree slopes and stoked on it. I'm also frequently seeing tracks on what most of us would consider an "approach," but without any tracks on the more interesting slopes above. I know a few folks like this, and they've all expressed interest in Bluebird Backcountry to me. But none of them have been there. If it was closer to Denver, or near a town people want to visit, I think their model could be very successful. Not sure it will work in Kremling.

[Jax]

I skied it last year thanks to a comp ticket from a boot/ski rep friend who was also checking it out. I used to think along the same lines of many of the comments above, was skeptical of the business model especially since it's on private land.

I think 95% of you would be bored out of your skulls. The skin track up to Bear is legit with many pockets of runs that you can bail out on if you don't make it to the top, which many folks in front of us did, dropped like flies left and right. Haven't skied the newly opened chutes, they didn't have those open last year. There's not really a good flow the the parts of Bear that most people ski down on the N and NE side, the runs are not fall line but more of a down then traverse over then down a little then traverse again.

West Bowl area is the popular place to go with the dogs, private property borders the north side and the skin track to the top of the bowl skirts the barbed wire as you approach the access to the top of the bowl, hence why you see so many pics of the fencing. Great views from there. The bowl is small but gives newby skiers a taste of exposed ridegline and wind hiking before you drop in, as well as a nice lesson in skinning up a firm track that's a little steep in spots for many. The gladed trees skiers left are indeed flat, more meadow-skippy-ish. Everything gets tracked out every day but those glades often get filled back in thanks to the wind and lay of the land. The day I went was blustery AF, felt like LL top of chair 9/Ridge on the windiest of days. Was thankful for the warm igloo to thaw out in between laps.

Overall the vibe was not as gapery as I thought it would be. Decent sized demo fleet, BD stuff mainly. Lots of signage at the base for the different skin tracks to take. Big parking lot where you can #vanlife overnight complete with picnic tables and firepits and honey pots.

The long road in is the sketchiest part. It was legit whiteout going in, again the wind really hammers this place. Road is a narrow & windy one-lane, the wind drifts were taller than any car or truck, could barely see the temporary markers flagged with orange fluorescent tape. It took an hour to leave the place as someone managed to get their car stuck going out. Then others got stuck as they were trying to back out to make room for a tractor that came in from HWY 14 to assist with car removal and plowing. Not sure if the driveway situation is any better this year but I was told it's a constant issue they have to maintain throughout the day. 4WD not required but should be absolutely necessary, or at least damned good snow tires.

I think the pass products they sell are a bit ambitious but who knows. I thought about getting a 4-pack to ski there with my pup this season, but then we have such ample (and better) terrain up on rabbit ears, with way less dogs to contend with and way more room to spread out. He's great around other dogs, but they distract him and he wouldn't be as focused on skiing as he would be chasing tail so I nixed that idea.

I think their business model would be cool if they purposely moved every few years to new places, or had several other places to choose from across the country. Lots of moving parts though. They tear down the entire operation at the end of every season and nothing remains. Logistics out the wazoo. FWIW, I think it's a really unique operation that certainly has room for growth if they do it right, or eventually buy their own land to operate on. I think it's cool for these particular rural landowners to allow something like this on their property for several years in a row. It really is a decent place to get your learn on, ski variable windbuff/chop, pow, unconsolidated, open bowl and gladed trees all in the same day, and learn how to rip skins and transition in windy/exposed conditions, IMO. Would be good date place to being your newby girlfriend/boyfriend.

[Foggy_Goggles]

I'll email today to see when if the double blacks are open. As Jax alluded to, it is basically in North Park which is the Colorado but feels like Wyoming. Its a windy MFr and they don't get a ton of snow. I've spent a ton of time in the area of the last 25 years. I love it, but not for the skiing.

[Foggy_Goggles]

This seems like a pretty representative video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk3DENCJgTM

[MagnificentUnicorn]

Looks like a great place for people that need hand holding to do anything unfamiliar. I don’t mean that as an insult. It seems more and more people from the city and suburbs that didn’t grow up outside and in the woods and mountains are getting out. They don’t have a clue to go about it. I see this at trailheads and out on the trail and in the backcountry. A lot seem to have a bit of anxiety.

This bc ski area seems like a more comfortable way to start for these folks.


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[Benny Profane]

Yup. Plus, I'm guessing, no partner needed?

[Peruvian]

Yup. Plus, I'm guessing, no partner needed?

This actually seems like the main benefit. Your buddies all bail due to various excuses and you still want to tour.

Whether it's worth it is another question altogether.

[Benny Profane]

How much is it?

[Foggy_Goggles]

https://bluebirdbackcountry.com/conditions/

It does look like The North Face is open. It may be worth checking out next time we get some snow. Kremmling doesn't get much love but there are a couple tasty restaurants and brewery/distillery if that is your type of thing. It is as much of a Summit County bedroom community as a ranching/trailer park town these days.

I'm sure there are STRs available in Rabbit Ears Village which is the closest residential community.

[timackie]

I have 4 day passes to bluebird backcountry that I won’t be able to use before they close at the end of the month. My wife “won” them at a charity auction. Any takers?

[fastfred]

naked ski day and blue bird back country bummer is you gotta be a chick no dudes

https://www.denverpost.com/2022/03/0...rd-backountry/

but this quote takes the cake

“Skiing in general is intimidating. Backcountry skiing is intimidating times 10, and the ski industry as a whole is intimidating. It’s just filled with white, privileged men. It’s difficult to break your way into that scene.”

as a white privilaged man I wanna know why all the girls in colorado are such bitches ?

[sillybunt2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Byvu5k9oupU

[MakersTeleMark]

I have never once witnessed a woman having any difficulty whatsoever breaking into the Colorado BC "scene".

[The SnowShow]

The plight of the white woman in skiing and the outdoors is akin to women’s suffrage. We must celebrate all those without a dick who have broken through the ceiling and gone out into the backcountry and slarved some primo powder in the name of all things WOMAN. Slayies? Holla!

[MakersTeleMark]

The plight of the white woman in skiing and the outdoors is akin to women’s suffrage. We must celebrate all those without a dick who have broken through the ceiling and gone out into the backcountry and slarved some primo powder in the name of all things WOMAN. Slayies? Holla!

I believe that this isn't enough. They should be out front, forging the skin track!

[summit]

I definitely get the cultural barriers to some women when it comes to education and mentorship in the backcountry. I work hard to make my courses a non-intimidating environment where there isn't pressure and questions are welcome and I seek, mentor, and use high quality female instructors so that I have a mix. Still, some women are more anxious or intimidated by outdoor coed environments, even welcoming ones, than others: there is absolutely a reason why "women's only" courses and events are so successful.

But please don't classify it as some great noble struggle against adversity (unless it is a woman succeeding in the backcountry professional world). This is just skiing, not Rosa Parks being arrested for refusing to move for racists, OK?

[toast2266]

Empowering women to go backcountry skiing by getting them to take all their clothes off seems weird to me.

But what do I know? I'm just a white, privileged man.

[Foggy_Goggles]

...that said, many of the real sladies hate that shit. They just want to go ski. Sexism sucks but it can be overplayed.