Snowboarding Loveland Pass - BEST Beginner Backcountry in COLORADO?
Vložit
- čas přidán 14. 04. 2020
- Is this the BEST beginner Back Country spot in Colorado? This was my introduction to backcountry after nearly 20 years of snowboarding at ski resorts. Although a lot of people consider this a pretty nice easier introduction to backcountry it is still important to be as prepared as possible.
We made sure to carry a Beacon, Probe and Collapsable Shovel with us as well as checking all the conditions and using all the technology we have at our disposal.
Apps for being safe while doing back country:
apps.apple.com/us/app/bca-bac...
apps.apple.com/us/app/avalanc...
beaconreviews.com/apps.php
Avalanche gear we used is a Black Diamond backcountry kit that includes a Shovel, Probe, and Avalanche Beacon. You should also consider and Airbag back pack. Check out the below video for more information.
• How do Avalanche Airba...
------------------------------
Floating by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/floating-smith-the-mister
Music promoted by Audio Library • Floating - Smith The M...
------------------------------
------------------------------
good morning by Amine Maxwell / aminemaxwell
Creative Commons - Attribution 3.0 Unported - CC BY 3.0
Free Download / Stream: bit.ly/2vpruoY
Music promoted by Audio Library • Good morning - Amine M...
------------------------------
------------------------------
Track: Girls Just Wanna Have Sun - Broke In Summer [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus
Watch: • Girls Just Wanna Have ...
Free Download / Stream: alplus.io/girls-wanna-have-sun
------------------------------ - Sport
Some safety info on this: Before anyone tries this, make sure to be carrying 1) An avalanche beacon 2) A shovel 3) an Avalanche probe, and know how to use all three. You are skiing in Avalanche prone terrain and you should familiarize yourself with the snow conditions (notice the bright red sign at the top of Loveland Pass). Don't do this in early winter. Also (and this person did do this), don't ski or snowboard alone. So many people go up there and do it alone. If you get buried, you might not be found until late spring. There were 6 experienced back country skiers that were buried going down from Loveland Pass maybe 8 years ago. 5 died and one was lucky enough to survive. I heard that the 5 that died were pounded into trees and really had no chance. Berthoud Pass on the right side near the rest rooms is safer (you still need to carry avalanche equipment) as it is less than a 30% slope.
This is all really good advice. I do, and recommend people use all three of what you listed. I’ve had good luck with the black diamond kit. I do want to clarify that I did not do this alone. I was with two other people who just didn’t want to be filmed. We all had the gear described except for one of us who only had a shovel.
I’m going to pin this comment as I think people who don’t know how to do it properly should know this.
Don’t ski this in early winter? I know there’s some spots you can get in trouble but Loveland can also be managed super easily and avoid avy terrain entirely
Such a cool spot! Skied this in the 90's under a full moon! Great video!!
I’ve never thought of skiing this at night. That sounds awesome. Although now it would just be a view down at all the glowing i70 traffic lol.
My first day skiing in CO was here. We had 10 runs in by the time we broke for lunch in the lower woods by the parking at 2p. We built jumps and shredded the glades all day. Big time thanks to all the local friends Rad and I skied with and all the rides back up the mountain Creating such a unique amazing experience.
It really is such a unique experience. There are a few sections there that I like more than any runs nearby. Super scenic and usually pretty good snow the times I’ve been.
3:00 minutes in, that's my white dodge van 🤘🤘 love that place
Lol that’s funny. We’re you hitching up or driving up after?
@@OXFOOT both haha Im there as much as possible riding. Bring the van to shuttle people when I'm not riding 🤘
thank you for this awesome video keep it up
Thanks so much! Working on building a split board from scratch for later in the season. I can’t wait to hit this spot again
Great video keep it up! I also have been getting up on the mountains too! Our season got cut way to short.
DakFree122 I think I was lucky I loaded a bunch of days at the beginning of the season, still miss it regardless. Fingers crossed for ABasin opening up again? Probably not.
@@OXFOOT I know it would be nice if they opened up, but I am okay if they don't. It is very blissful being on the mountains with nobody around!
Took the dogs sledding at Pass Lake the other day. You gotta love, Loveland pass!
Yeah I love that area, must have been nice with the sled!
You’ve inspired me to finally try backcountry skiing. Did you read up on anything prior to become familiar with it? For Loveland Pass if you wanted to hike back up to the top could you do it with regular downhill skis but with ski skins?
So mostly what I did was watch johnathon buckhous’s video on it and then read up on back country and got some backcountry gear for avalanches.
I think you could hike back up but honestly people come flying down out of nowhere and I’d be a little worried about that. Definitely wear very bright colors if that’s something you decide you want to do.
Thanks for the replies!
SLC Backcountry skier here... just to chime in. You could boot hike your way back up with your skis on your back but if you want to use skins on your skis, then you need to have a backcountry setup. A backcountry setup, at a bare minimum, is bindings that allow you to unlock the heel so you can hike with your skis still connected to your boots. Regular skis with skins would be extremely awkward and difficult. As always, check the conditions and carry a beacon/shovel/probe because without it, you won't be found and can't help others in an avalanche situation. Good luck! Be safe and have fun.
Could you do a video of the faces of abasin? Is that considered backcountry or do they still have avalanche control?
I can look into it. I don’t know that I know enough about it as is. I’ll for sure do some research. That area surrounding ABay seems pretty well avalanche controlled but I never see it, only hear it.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
SG thanks. One of the more fun videos to make so far.
this is what I'm planning on doing this winter. I have a feeling the lift lines will not be worth it this year.
Yeah my girl and I are the same way. We just went with the keystone crested butte one instead of a full pass. Mostly likely going to just be hitting as much back country as we can and using the keystone just to get us all warmed up to where we were last season.
Might actually be making my own split board from scratch... not certain though.
would you say this is ok for a beginner to go to to learn how to even start?
for sure we are not going all the way up we just need a slight incline to get our feet wet haha
I’d say a beginner to back country this is a nice introduction to it... if you are implying it was your first intro to skiing or snowboarding in general I would say hell no lol. The main run there would likely be considered a black diamond or at least a double blue at a typical resort. Sorry if I misunderstood what you were saying there. If you are just starting back country this would be awesome but if you are looking to learn standard skiing/boarding from scratch I’d say rent a board/skis and hit a “cheap”resort like echo mountain.
@@OXFOOT oh yeah for sure we not going to top but i see some vids where its mellow over there ... i can see me and my friend walking about 10 yard up and going down the mellow slop to get our bearing before we purchase a lift ticket to not even ride it because we are stuck on the beginners side anyway
Okay yeah that makes sense. The little section right when you come up from the loveland pass parking lot about half way up is fairly flat and might be nice for that, however people sometimes come flying through there so just keep an eye out. Do you know someone with experience that could go with you? Or at least one of you go while the other keeps an eye out for people coming through?
Don’t want to recommend something and then you get hurt.
@@OXFOOT ok so just keep an eye out thanks, we tryna save money haha... do most peaks offer cheaper entry or free entry if you stay on the beginer side... i do not think we ready for lift yet so why pay that price
Hey I am trying to get into backcountry and I was wondering if you ever see anyone skinning up or does everyone just use the car lift?
I have seen people skinning and hiking up. Typically they’ll do that going over to the far left (looking down the mountain). There’s always people coming down the center and it is steep so it’s risky skinning up the middle but just keep your eyes peeled and you should be fine.
From the parking lot at the bottom if you go to the right you should be fine through there but just see what others are doing there and you should be fine. Hard to explain where I’m talking about without being there in person.
@@OXFOOT that is super helpful. You said skier's left and "all the way to the right" I think I get what you mean. I cant wait to get out and try it out. Though, I dont know when conditions will allow. Avalanche reports in the area are grim (unless Im reading them wrong).
Would it be possible to hike back up? Or is it too long
Yeah, you could hike back up in theory. There’s nothing saying you can’t but you have to pick good hiking lines because you could end up hit by a skier/boarder.
If you’re looking at the mountain from the hitchhiking parking lot then you should stay as far to the right as you can when hiking up. Can’t say for sure, but that’s the route a ton of people skin or snowshoe up.
@@OXFOOT Thank you sir! Appreciate it tons
No problem!
so where exactly do you go?
I’m this video we just did loveland pass CO from the top down about half way. This next season we will be doing a lot more stuff probably out towards vail and maybe berthoud pass back country.
@@OXFOOT did you just go to the loveland pass lot or a little farther up to the lot near the lake near the peak? does it funnel down into any parking lots? i may try it once this year
Sorry I just saw this. Yeah the parking lot at the top of the pass is where we went from. We typically go on the side towards i70.
This year I’ll probably be trying out the other side.
How tf does a lock down stop you from exploring the mountains?
In the first 6 months they were giving out tickets and towing vehicles that weren’t registered in the county. I lived in Denver county at the time but I just laws are meant to be broken so I did it anyways.
“Lockdown” damn never again!
True
Cmon man don’t show the Denver gapes this spot now it be known :(
Lol, yeah I’ve thought about taking this down a bunch but as far as I can tell it’s always pretty packed with denverites already. I think the lockdown let people in on the secret. I’m already looking for new spots because screw doing the epic pass reservation stuff again.
@@OXFOOT yeah I live over in pine near baily and some of our local backcountry spots have started to get some unwanted attention
In no ways whatsoever is Loveland pass an unknown spot. Everyone and their grandma knows about it, lockdown had nothing to do with letting people know about the “secret”…..