Friends have talked enthusiastically about this ski tour for years, but it wasn’t until recently that I was able to experience it for myself.
What makes this ski trip special is the location. Paralleling the south rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, you will be treated constantly to spectacular views of the canyon.
Closed to traffic during the winter months the South Rim Road becomes a ski and snowshoe trail where the visitor can cruise along for 6 miles each way, stopping at the many viewpoints. Bring your camera as well as your skinny skis.
Administered by the National Park Service, no entrance fees are collected during the winter. The South Rim Visitor Center is open year-round. Stop in and check out trail conditions.
Trail description
Start skiing from the gate closure, climbing gently before dropping quickly to the first major viewpoint – Pulpit Rock at 1.8 miles. This is as far as many people go, though when I was there the road was tracked all the way to High Point.
Continue dropping to the low point of the road at 3.6 miles. This is where you have some of the best views of the trip, at Chasm View and the Painted Wall Viewpoint.
Gradually climb from here to High Point, 6 miles out, passing several more outstanding viewpoints, including Sunset View at 5.1 miles.
The initial 2-mile descent back from High Point goes quite quickly, but then the climb begins, never steep but certainly continuous. By the time you get back to the Visitors Center, you will know you did 12 miles.
Difficulty: A long, easy ski or snowshoe.
USGS Quad: Grizzly Ridge, CO. The NPS Park map may suffice for this tour.
Dave Cooper is the author of “Colorado Scrambles: A Guide to 50 Select Climbs in Colorado’s Mountains.” miles one way.
