Stanley Slide Backcountry Skiing (12,401')
Route Description
Stanley Slide. The name alone inspires both fear and bravado. They don't call it a slide for nothing, but it sure looks like a great ski line and it probably doesn't slide all the time. At least that was the logic I used.
This is a spring route, and I would ski it only when the snow has consolidated. But it's a great bargain. You climb 1400 feet and ski down 2300 feet. Straight down. And even in lean years, it holds enough snow to ski in the fall line. If you set a car shuttle on this one, you could ski it more than once before the snow gets too soft.
Getting There
From Boulder or Denver, take I-70 west to exit 232, Empire, Berthoud Pass, Winter Park. From the exit, drive approximately 13.5 miles to the last hairpin turn before you reach the top of Berthoud Pass. In the spring there is a pull off on the north-west side of the road.
This route requires that you hitch hike back up to your car or set a shuttle at the bottom of the slide. If you are going to set a shuttle at the bottom, drive approximately 1.1 mile past Berthoud Falls/the first hairpin turn and park on the south side of the road, directly below the slide.
Route Directions
From the parking lot, contour west south-west until you are on the main ridge leading up to the top of the Stanley Slide (about a half mile). Once you gain the ridge, follow it until it flattens out. You will start to get glimpses of the Stanley slide as you climb the ridge.
From the top, you have a couple options. If you drop straight in, it's very steep. Probably around 40-45 degrees for a few hair-raising turns. After that, it mellows out a little. Or, you can go to skiers right and avoid the steepest section. Either way, it's all downhill from there and very nice skiing.
Local Information
Places to eat:
Map
Map 9 Stanley Slide Map