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The rugged shoulders of the San Juan Mountain Range annually see 300 days of sunshine and equally as many inches of snow. Spread across the broad expanses of untamed terrain, these blankets of pure white beckon the bold to carve their tracks into the mountainside. You haven’t truly experienced skiing until you’ve ventured into the backcountry—tried out the pristine slopes hidden away from the crowded pistes and spent the night in a cozy mountain hut enveloped by the wilderness. Add an expert local guide to the equation and you’re in for one unforgettable skiing trip. Find out more about backcountry skiing in Colorado from adventure travel writer Ali Carr.

  • Endless opportunities await on hundreds of miles of untracked snow

  • Enjoy the privacy and comfort of a modern backcountry hut

  • Soak up the magnificent vistas of San Juan’s high country

Itinerary

After you’ve booked your backcountry ski hut, join one of the local guides on this Colorado winter and enjoy a taste of the Alps without even crossing the Pond. Feast your eyes on San Juan’s high alpine basins and enticing descents while enjoying a warm drink from the comfort of your cozy backcountry lodge. Then head out into the glorious backcountry and explore the secret stashes and hidden runs of the beautiful ski zones of the San Juan Mountain Range.

Price does NOT include the cost of the hut. When booking your hut, please also be sure to reserve a spot and meals for your guide.  

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Meet your guides

Bill Allen
5.00
Bill Allen
AMGA Certified Ski Guide and Co-Owner/Lead Guide of Mountain Trip
AMGA Certified Ski Guide and Co-Owner/Lead Guide of Mountain Trip
An Oregon native, Bill grew up playing in the Cascade Mountains, where he fell in love with the outdoors. His guiding career started over 20 years ago in Alaska and has taken him to all of the Seven Summits (thrice to the top of Mount Everest). Although he spends most of his time in the San Juan Mountains, he retains his love for Alaska, where he has guided around 30 expeditions on Denali.
Mountain Trip
5.00
Mountain Trip
Mountain Trip has a lot of experience leading teams of climbers on the Seven Summits. Their professional certified guides are thoroughly familiar with each destination. They’ve been guiding climbers in Denali and the Alaska Range since 1973 and were one of the original permitted concessionaires for leading guided expeditions in the Park, and they’ve grown to help more climbers ascend Denali than any other guide service!
5.00 (2 reviews)
Elijah S. (source: Tripadvisor)

I had an amazing backcountry skiing trip with my guide Fischer. He was super nice and taught me a lot about avalanche safety, using skins, and living in telluride. He and everyone at Mountain Trip communicated with me a lot and helped me to prepare for our trip. Renting gear was no problem and they even lent me extra stuff that wasn’t up for rent. Overall super friendly and super helpful. The trip was amazing and I recommend it to anyone that loves skiing and wants to learn about and experience the backcountry!

Backcountry Skiing
Luke K. (source: Tripadvisor)

I had an absolute blast on my two day backcountry skiing trip. Kaylee and the team were extremely helpful prior to my arrival. They helped guide me through some product selections and listened to what I wanted out of the trip. They set me up with Mason as a guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and set me up one some epic lines.

Things to know

  • What you get in this adventure:

      • An experienced, certified ski guide with extensive knowledge of the area
      • All necessary protective equipment where it is required
      • Assistance in arranging post-trip activities in the area
      • At least two full days in the field

    What’s not included:

      • Ski hut reservations
      • Accommodation in a ski hut
      • Food, snacks and bevarages
      • Accommodation and meals for your guide
      • Technical backcountry ski touring equipment
      • Accommodation in Telluride

    Price does NOT include the cost of the hut. When booking your hut, please also be sure to reserve a spot and meals for your guide.  

  • If you haven’t booked a hut yet, take a look at some of the popular huts in the vicinity. To reserve your spot, simply visit the hut’s website, find a date that is available and fits your preferences and book!

    OPUS Hut: Perched at 11,600ft, the OPUS Hut is an eco-friendly lodge, with a rustic wood interior, multiple decks and a wood burning fire place, ready to welcome. All stays include meals for the party, including breakfast, an afternoon soup and dinner. For availability, see the calendar at the site.

    Thelma Hut: With easy access from U.S. Highway 550, this private off-grid hut sleeps eight in modern-rustic style. After you settle in,  enjoy time in the sauna and get ready for your adventure. Meal packages booked with your stay include afternoon soup/snack, dinner and breakfast the next morning.

    Red Mountain Alpine Lodge: The Red Mountain Alpine Lodge is a brand new, beautiful custom timber frame lodge located at 11,000′ on Red Mountain Pass, with Ouray 20 minutes to the North and Silverton only 15 minutes to the South. With a sleeping capacity of 19 – 22 people, premium amenities, and wholesome dinners, breakfast, trail lunches and aprés snacks, you’ll enjoy your stay!

    Alta Lakes Observatory: The Observatory is a private backcountry cabin located 13 miles from Telluride, CO, nestled underneath the 13,000-foot Palmyra and Silver Peaks. With 12 beds, fully-equipped kitchen, hot tub and other modern amenities, you’ll have the best warm haven to return to after a day on the slopes. Snowmobile transportation services can be provided for people and/or provisions !

    Please keep in mind that you should reserve the lodging and meals for your guide as well.

  • In order to enjoy this backcountry adventure, you need to have a moderate level of fitness. You will be on your feet for a full day. While there is terrain for all skill levels in the San Juan Mountains, you will need to manage controlled descents in variable conditions. All participants should feel comfortable on challenging blue or black level resort runs and be able to carry a loaded daypack while skinning up variable degrees of terrain.

  • Backcountry skiing isn’t just for pros looking for the ultimate thrill ride, it’s also beginner-friendly, meaning anyone with challenging blue or black level resort experience can have fun in the backcountry. If you’ve never backcountry skied before, heading out with a guide is your best bet. They’ll take care of the planning, introduce you to the basics, like skinning uphill, and teach you how to manage the terrain. They also have the experience and avalanche training to keep you safe.

  • For technical backcountry ski touring gear, you will need to bring:

      • Alpine touring skis, telemark skis or splitboard with skins (can be rented)
      • Touring boots and poles (can be rented)
      • Avalanche safety equipment (can be rented):
        • Digital, 3-antenna avalanche transceiver or beacon
        • Lightweight snow shovel
        • Avalanche probe

    For personal items, we recommend bringing:

      • Helmet
      • Sunglasses or ski goggles
      • Gloves and hat
      • Wind and waterproof shell jacket with hood (Gore-Tex recommended)
      • Ski pants (Gore-Tex recommended)
      • Down jacket or vest
      • Synthetic or wool base layers, underwear and socks
      • One triple-action locking carabiner or two conventional locking carabiners
      • Repair kit and Leatherman for your equipment (can be shared between several people)
      • Water bottle and 1L of water
      • Thermos with a warm beverage — optional
      • Food you can eat on-the-go
      • First-aid kit
      • Sunscreen
      • Daypack large enough to carry all items listed (around a 30-40L backpack)
      • Camera — optional
  • All mandatory gear can be rented in local gear shops or from the guide shop’s selection of loaner and rental gear. You can rent:

      • Avalanche safety pack, including backpack, beacon, shovel and probe
      • Alpine touring or telemark skis, touring boots and poles
      • Splitboards

    Ski rental locations are in Telluride and Ouray and should be picked up the night prior to your outing. If you need to rent gear, let us know and we can help make arrangements.

  • Group sizes and pricing:

      • For this adventure, the max client to guide ratio is 5:1.
      • Costs per person decrease as the group grows for private lessons, so it’s the perfect opportunity to climb with friends and family.

    Ski touring in the San Juan Mountains can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

    Min. age requirements:

      • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
      • Minors may be permitted to join private tours on a case-by-case basis.

    If your group has skiers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

  • The departure location is usually the company’s office in Telluride. Since Telluride is a very remote town, the quickest way there is flying. Only a few airlines fly directly into town, while others usually offer flights to nearby Cortez and Montrose. It’s a 1.5-hour drive from both towns to Telluride, while Grand Junction is only 2.5 hours away. From there, you’ll head to your tour.

    The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ski ability of the group.

  • 57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.

    We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Colorado, please refer to the Official Colorado COVID-19 Update Website.

    Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!

  • Day Trips Cancellations
    Fully refundable within the initial 48 hours from booking, unless the trip date is less than 7 days from the time of the booking.
    Cancellations up to 7 days prior to the trip date are refundable 100%.
    Cancellations within 7 days prior to the trip date are non-refundable.

Have more questions? Read our FAQ,
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