# Second Creek to Henderson Mine?



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

*Why?*

There are 7 easily accessible cirques if you make it to the ridge...Why ski the low drainage on the back side? Are you looking to struggle on a CC tour, I wouldn't pick that route too much effort for a few good turns...On the flip side you shouldn't see anybody or any tracks...The views would be awesome, Take some pics if you see any sick northern exposure lines or chutes...There might be some features worth the tour I don't know anybody who has gone there in the winter...


----------



## cmike1 (Sep 10, 2006)

I've been in the area and in a few of the drainages but never strung that tour together. Looks like it would be a nice way to spend a day even if you don't get much in the way of sick and gnarl turns. Sometimes just being in the high alpine traveling under your own power is it's own reward. I wouldn't do it in bad weather and you need to have good avy eyes and mind. Beautiful country up there.

Probably the worst part would be coming down the whooped and chewed up snowmo trail on the west fork of clear creek. Last time I skied up Butler Gulch that was a mess.


----------



## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

Here's another possible day trip route. This route goes along the ridge above Berthoud Pass, which should have spectacular views. And you avoid the snowmobiles near Jones Pass. 

I'm worried the last drop back to the road is a bit steep. 

Do all you guys just want to get sweet tracks on powder? What ever happened to just touring in nice remote places? Just be out in nature without the adrenalin rush? 










Here's the satelite view:


----------



## deepstroke (Apr 3, 2005)

Stay away from the edge on the new route. Massive cornices ready to break. Some people descend the Stanley slide path. And speaking for myself, it is all about sweet powder tracks. So many incredible lines to choose.


----------



## cmike1 (Sep 10, 2006)

basil said:


> Do all you guys just want to get sweet tracks on powder? What ever happened to just touring in nice remote places? Just be out in nature without the adrenalin rush?


Nothing wrong with nice turns and absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying a nice tour for it's own sake. Personally I'd stay away from the highway just to be away from the noise and sight of the highway although it can be kind of cool to be up high above all that and look down where you can get a good look at how the whole thing works.

As mentioned though, there is big avalanche terrain in that part of the world and it demands respect. (Not to mention, knocking something down on the highway would not be looked upon favorably by CDOT) Go for it, be safe and enjoy!


----------



## glenn (May 13, 2009)

The second route you show is down Stanely slide path. It's a massive slide path and should be treated with respect. However, the skiing is really easy and kind of fun. The top half is open meadowish:










The lower part is a gulley and an obvious terrain trap. You want this one to be bomber, it covers the road twice when it goes big. If you use this option you don't need a shuttle. I took some scenics when I went, but I don't want to ruin it for you. Find a bluebird day and enjoy the 2 1/2 hour ridge top hike.


----------



## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

Wow, nice picture. 

The route I drew avoids the Stanely slide chute. It's next to Stanely Mountain and in full trees. I know trees doesn't mean safety, but it does mean it doesn't slide regularly. It also means the sun doesn't bake it. So, it should be safer in the spring than the slide chute if the angle is 30-35 degrees.


----------



## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Sorry got lazy once I saw Stanley on the map. I can't speak to the west side, but the east side of Stanley in the trees is supposed to be pretty tight and requires bushwhacking. The trees immediately surrounding the slide path were not inviting either.


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~CLICK HERE FOR ZERO CREEK VIDEO~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~First Creek~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~Second Creek~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~current Creek~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~russels~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~no name~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~stanley~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

~avalanche~


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

*zero, first, second, current, russels, no name, stanley*

These are my favorite easy access cirques...you can ride the chairlift instead of hiking up second creek...

Check out more of our valley pics @

~sIdEcOuNtRySlAyErS~
or
~sIdEcOuNtRySlaYeRs~PhOtOs~


----------



## glenn (May 13, 2009)

~Bank said:


> These are my favorite easy access cirques...you can ride the chairlift instead of hiking up second creek...


Hiking out from the access gate always weird and seemingly a lot of effort for slack country. For 0 creek it was the only sensible solution and for the upper stuff in 1st it made a lot of sense. Still, I could hike with slow shoes to Chimney in under a 1/2 hour with no hitch hiking. I would barely be to the access gate in a half hour from the resort and I would still have the weird hike up top. Now the lower gate I would hit on the a nearly daily basis...


----------



## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

Does anyone know how snow cover will be along the ridge? It's probably pretty wind blown. Are there any winter satellite pictures available?


----------



## cmike1 (Sep 10, 2006)

basil said:


> Does anyone know how snow cover will be along the ridge? It's probably pretty wind blown. Are there any winter satellite pictures available?


 
Ridge tops are almost always blown off, especially Front Range near the divide ridge tops. Often you can pick your way through on skis, but it's thin so quality turns are generally not the norm. Still magnificent places to be.


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

*Video of ridgeline, (3/21/11)*

~RIDGELINE VIDEO~
looks like good coverage as of today.


----------



## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

Just a word of caution guys, stuff on Berthoud is ready to run to the ground if it has not already. SAR responded to a slide on Friday...Mines 1+2 ran to the ground, R5. Respect the dragon.


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

*I took some pics of the slide also...*

~Mines~

Checkout that 20' crown...


----------



## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

Thanks, ~Bank, for the photos. I looked and CAIC actually put it at R4, I assume because the crown wasn't as high as it has been sometimes. Either way, large and destructive and lots of alpine areas still have the ability to run that way. 

Keep in mind that even if you were to trigger a smaller, wet, typical spring slide, it could step down and pull out the whole slab underneath you.

Be safe out there. We only have a little while left to enjoy the snowpack, but don't get greedy.


----------



## ~Bank (Jul 31, 2010)

That's what happened on mines. I saw 4 groups ski down there from across the valley that mourning. There were 3 significant sluffs from the groups. Those slides all stopped about 50-100' below the mound cornice on top of a 6-12'' slab with 1-3' of depth hoar below. Late afternoon, I guess about one or two, I noticed the whole thing ripped to the ground/ice layer. That thing was powerful, it up-rooted large trees and ran all the way into the trees down by 7 mile...We skied the trees in the middle of one and two yesterday, those trees were not effected by the avalanche...How does CAIC measure the high point of the crown?...I saw it up close it was easily twice the height they reported at it's highest point...


----------



## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

Brian I don't know their measurement techniques or why they wouldn't be pretty straightforward. I didn't go into the field on the call, so didn't see it in person, but I know from where we were staging backup teams it still looked huge. On the report that Lazar made, the avg. crown is listed as 4 feet, max crown 9 feet.


----------



## latenightjoneser (Feb 6, 2004)

sick photos Brian!


----------



## cmike1 (Sep 10, 2006)

Yep, for reporting purposes they'll just give an average unless there there is an extraordinary crown depth.

Also: People almost always overestimate the R factor and D factor when reporting slides. There's something about guys and overstating measurements.


----------



## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

Hey I was only off by 1 number relative to path! It would have needed to start higher to R5.


----------

