Skiing Pikes Peak

Well, it’s officially spring, with temps here in the spring getting into the 80s. With the warm temps, almost all the resorts are closed, but on the Front Range of Colorado, Pikes Peak still has a good bit of snow—and conveniently has a road up to the summit. With the combination of snow and having a road, this means you can hitchhike up a little ways and ski down! Pete and I went this past Tuesday, and while it was super icy when we got up there, the conditions ended up warming up and we skied some soft corn by the last lap.

Pete got to try out a pair of used skis, the Salomon QST 92. He said they skied very similarly to his favorite ski, the Salomon Soul 7. These handled the choppy, iced-up tracks at the top with ease, and when it warmed up, they were easy to turn and felt like a dream on the corn. I was on my Never Summer West, which handles everything super well.

Skiing on Pikes is pretty easy—you just park about halfway up at a little pull-off (just above Glen Cove) and get all your gear on. Once you’re all geared up, just stick your thumb out and try to get the tourists to pull over. When you get lucky and get a ride, just tell them to take you up to the Devil’s Playground parking lot.

From the Devil’s Playground parking lot, you just get your skis and boards on and ski down. This run is called Big Blue and is comparable to a blue run at a big resort, making for some super chill cruiser laps. Because this is not in a resort and not patrolled, there is a chance for avalanche danger. While it is spring and the snowpack is pretty consolidated, you should always be prepared and knowledgeable in a backcountry setting. Check our social media instagram @gearonimosports1401 and our youtube for a video (comming soon).

And now for some photos!!

You a can see the devils playgorund parking in the bacround, this is where you actully start skiing.