Distance: 3.5 mi.
Elevation Gain: 1300 ft.
We were staying in Winthrop for New Years and got a very late start due to the amount of alcohol that was consumed on New Years Eve. We started skinning west on Highway 20 a little after 1 PM and reached the well-traveled skin track up right (north) toward Delancey Ridge just before 2 PM.
We followed the skin track for a ways but then decided to turn right (east) of the established skin track. Craig set a new track up this steep slope while Gus had issues with his split board, slowing things down a bit.
We had decided we should regroup and turn around by 3 PM due to the short daylight hours, but Brian had forged ahead above us. Craig ran up to catch him and the two of them skied down together (GPS track). They ended up on the east side of a gully while Michelle, Gus, and Vanessa were on the west side of it, so we skied/snowboarded down in two separate groups. The snow was really amazing, fluffy powder. We all worked our way through the brushy brush at the bottom of the hill on skis, although it was more difficult to navigate farther east (skier’s left). Then we turned left on Highway 20 and skated/skinned back to the car. We finished around 4 PM.
We returned to ski Delancey Ridge on the last day of 2017 coincidentally, and had a much better time by following the skin track up farther left (west).
(Download the free Gaia GPS app on your phone to view tracks and then get a Gaia GPS membership if you want offline access. Discount below!)
Gear Used:
- Avalanche beacon/shovel/probe
- Backcountry boots/skis/skins
- GPS
- Helmet
- Trekking poles
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