Powder Ghost Towns: The Backcountry Skier's Guide to Colorado's Lost Ski Areas
Colorado and epic skiing have gone hand in hand for decades – there’s a reason the state is nicknamed “Ski Country USA,” and the town of Steamboat Springs, “Ski Town USA.” The state’s mega-resorts – Breckenridge, Vail, Aspen, Telluride, Steamboat – have an international reputation for world-class skiing, while mom-and-pop operations – Monarch Pass, Wolf Creek, Sunlight Mountain – have earned deserved credibility among locals seeking powder away from the crowds.
But today, only a relative handful – 27, to be exact – of the Centennial State’s ski resorts are still in operation. And yet, throughout the years, more than 175 ski resorts have operated on the slopes of Colorado’s mountains. A select few of these areas, such as Berthoud Pass, have become popular backcountry skiing destinations. For the most part, though, these lost ski areas have dropped off the radar screen and faded into distant memory as part of the collective skier consciousness. They have become Colorado’s “other” ghost towns. Until now.
Powder Ghost Towns: The Backcountry Skier’s Guide to Colorado’s Lost Ski Areas is a pragmatic guide to finding and skiing these lost ski areas. The book includes detailed backcountry skiing information – including history, the approach, and where to ski – for nearly 40 lost Colorado ski areas, each selected on the basis of three basic criteria: public access, reliable snow, and at least 500 vertical feet of skiing. Powder Ghost Towns is a must-have guidebook for the dedicated backcountry skier, and for the lift-serviced resort skier interested in Colorado’s skiing heritage.
Forthcoming from Wilderness Press (Oct 2008)
