Exploring Off-Trail

Mr.Lumpyjumbles

Mr.Lumpyjumbles

Member
The last couple of winters I have been getting into exploring off-trail at ski resorts and finding cool lines and powder stashes. I typically just cut into small gaps in trees where there are sometimes tracks and make my way down as well as I can. I'm always worried when I do this, though, because I feel like I'm going to run into a spot where it's impossible to get down because of cliffs or trees getting too thick. It's nearly impossible to get anyone to tell you about specific lines, which I totally get because the few tracks are part of what makes this kind of skiing appealing, but I don't know how else to find out about them without just blindly entering the woods in random places.

(I also mostly go alone which is probably not the best idea)

How do other people go about exploring the mountain outside of the marked trails?
 
1. sketchy that you're going alone

2. get caught and your pass is probably pulled which sucks

3. try and find inbound terrain that no one knows of, more of a challenge and safer

4. ski park
 
Sometimes the trees get too thick or you hit creek beds or get cliffed out. Just be careful when checking out new places. Always a good idea to ride with somebody, especially if you're way off the run and whenever there's deep snow.

Sometimes, you get stuck, sometimes you find the ultimate stash, it's def a fun hunt though.
 
14084334:theabortionator said:
Sometimes the trees get too thick or you hit creek beds or get cliffed out. Just be careful when checking out new places. Always a good idea to ride with somebody, especially if you're way off the run and whenever there's deep snow.

Sometimes, you get stuck, sometimes you find the ultimate stash, it's def a fun hunt though.
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Perfectly said. Most resorts I've been to, anything within the outer perimeter of the bounds is fair game even if it's an unmarked glade. Just be careful as he said because you might get stuck. Always smart to have a buddy
 
depending on resort, google earth can help spot terrain (with spring/summer imaging) for example you can see some Mt.Mansfield and Smuggs spots on there.

another thing i just realized is when i’m lapping park and take many rides up the lift so many people tell me things when we talk. Great way to get locals to give away the best spot!
 
14084332:ogreene said:
1. sketchy that you're going alone

2. get caught and your pass is probably pulled which sucks

3. try and find inbound terrain that no one knows of, more of a challenge and safer

4. ski park
Click to expand...

big pussy energy
 
When I look for secret spots, I’ll study a topo map of the area and keep in mind cliff areas and other obstacles I don’t wanna get caught up in. If you look up cal topo online it’s got good maps with avy shading and all kinds of useful settings for skiing. Other than that I just ask around or follow other tracks, but I’m always weary if it’s just a single set of tracks, sometimes someone just went out to take a shit, or other times it’s some mad man doing a crazy line. Are you skiing in the east or west?

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2019 at 9:45:21am
 
14084462:Saucerboyshane said:
depending on resort, google earth can help spot terrain (with spring/summer imaging) for example you can see some Mt.Mansfield and Smuggs spots on there.

another thing i just realized is when i’m lapping park and take many rides up the lift so many people tell me things when we talk. Great way to get locals to give away the best spot!
Click to expand...

There's some steep lines that used to be skiable glades at my home mountain, but have gotten overgrown since there isn't a high speed lift near where the trail starts anymore, people forgot about it. Been eyeing lines on google earth and keep forgetting to tag trees in the summer.

I ride the lift with ski patrollers when possible and usually have some good input on what isn't getting skied out.
 
Bring avy stuff if it snowed a lot recently. In some areas of resort avy danger can be just as high as bc
 
14084332:ogreene said:
1. sketchy that you're going alone

2. get caught and your pass is probably pulled which sucks

3. try and find inbound terrain that no one knows of, more of a challenge and safer

4. ski park
Click to expand...

why do you usually respond in lists do you need a puffer or something
 
you ski at the loaf right? Still not tons of accessible trees right now, there are some lines between kings/hayburner/skidder but honestly those are usually kinda meh. There are couple cliff bands in brackett you could get stuck on top of (if you can't drop like a 4 foot cliff) but other than that pretty much everything is good to go. I'd def have someone with you if you're planning on venturing deep into brackett. Broccoli gardens is the dank low-angle glades area.
 
Just get a mate first of all. Sometimes I just chat with people on the lift and ask what they’re doing, sometimes they know spots.

if I’m hunting I’ll just go to the quieter places that are on the borders of the resort and take weird lines through the fall line. If there’s sketchy shit well... you kinda just have to shimmy yourself back up/across. Cause no ones gonna save your ass.

finding pow stashes is my favourite thing to do, it’s like crack
 
Yeah, it sounds like the best way to do it is to just send it with a friend. I have some friends that are going to ski more this winter and I'll try to get them good enough to hit the woods. I guess as long as I'm somewhat careful I can always bushwhack or hike back up if things get real bad.

I already know of a couple places that I saw last year that looked skiable, now I just need some snow! (and friends who can shred)
 
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