Earn Your Powder Turns At Bluebird Backcountry
With an unpredictable ski season ahead and the increased popularity of ski touring and human-powered powder access, Bluebird Backcountry seems to have opened their new concept right on time. Located on the Continental Divide near Rabbit Ears Pass, Bluebird Backcountry is a ski area without chairlifts. After a test season last year, the area proved skiers are ready and eager to access the snow, terrain, services and classes Bluebird Backcountry provides.
Located about 30 minutes from Kremmling and Steamboat Springs, Bluebird Backcountry is operated by dedicated backcountry skiers and snowboarders. Their aim is to reduce barriers to entry, improve gaps in current education formats and create a soulful gathering place for the backcountry skiing community.
Bluebird Backcountry has been working on the backcountry-lite ski area concept since 2017, running a variety of prototype events to craft the experience in partnership with Winter Park Resort, the United States Forest Service and North London Mill Preservation. After raising more than 100,000 dollars through Kickstarter, 330-percent of its goal, Bluebird’s in-bounds backcountry concept became a reality in January 2020, opening for a 14-day test season in February and March 2020 on private land at Peak Ranch, Colorado. Market signals on demand and customer satisfaction led the Bluebird Backcountry team to bring back — and substantially evolve — the ski area for the upcoming 2020/2021 season. Bluebird Backcountry shifted the backcountry ski area four miles northwest to Bear Mountain at an elevation of 9,845 feet.
“Our new location at Bear Mountain not only receives 45 percent more snow annually; it’s also huge, allowing our guests to have an uncrowded, powder-filled backcountry adventure,” says Jeff Woodward, co-founder and CEO.
The new ski area will welcome a maximum of 200 guests a day on the mountain, spread across 1,200 acres of in-bounds terrain. For comparison, Arapahoe Basin has 1,428 skiable acres.
With no chairlifts or motorized guest transportation and physical distancing serving as a natural component of backcountry travel, Bluebird Backcountry is uniquely positioned to keep its guests safe this winter. While COVID-19 has forced traditional ski areas to work out challenges of crowded lift lines, gondolas and cafeterias, Bluebird Backcountry spent time this offseason evolving its guest experience both on and off the snow.
On snow, Bluebird Backcountry has designed fun ski runs on primarily north- and east-facing aspects, crafted a signature education progression for backcountry ski and splitboard lessons and clinics, certified its avalanche education programs and expanded its guided-only skiing zone to 3,000 acres. Off the mountain, Bluebird Backcountry will offer slopeside camping and tasty new food options from a throw-back food truck.
EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION
Now an official AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) provider, Bluebird Backcountry will teach avalanche courses with experienced and credentialed instructors. For skiers and splitboarders who are beginning their backcountry journey, Bluebird is introducing a unique three-lesson progression designed to welcome all experience levels, including those who have never tried backcountry skiing or splitboarding (backcountry snowboarding). These courses offer hands-on learning with backcountry gear, movement, skills, etiquette and Leave No Trace principles. Bluebird Backcountry wants to help backcountry travelers develop good habits and ultimately prepare them for AIARE training, which they can now experience on site.
“We expect backcountry use and demand for avalanche education to be at an all-time high this year,” says Vickie Hormuth, executive director of AIARE. “Recreationists of all abilities and backcountry experience levels will be looking for uncrowded places to play, making education more important than ever. Bluebird Backcountry is filling a much-needed gap to help resort skiers transition properly by learning both backcountry and avalanche essentials in a comfortable environment. Bluebird’s model is the future of in-bounds backcountry learning, and we are proud to partner with them to provide top-notch, forward-thinking avalanche education.”
Bluebird is also introducing a unique mentorship program this year called Bluebird+. The membership offers aspiring backcountry travelers access to Bluebird’s Backcountry 1, 2 and 3 courses, unlimited clinics and ski-with-a-mentor days, as well as discounts on AIARE training, guided lessons and snow safety gear.
In addition to the new products, services and safety measures, Bluebird Backcountry continue to offer traditional ski-area comforts within its marked boundary, including great tree skiing, backcountry ski and splitboard rentals, touring lessons, warming huts, bathrooms and a professional on-site ski patrol for medical response and avalanche evaluation.
DOUG MCLENNAN
Season passholders will have unlimited access to the mountain, with no reservations required. Season passes are limited and 350 dollars each, along with Bluebird+ (250 dollars) and AIARE courses (250 to 550 dollars). Four-pack (185 dollars) and 10-pack (425 dollars) pass options are offered and 100-percent transferable. Day passes and multi-day passes will be limited and require reservations.
Bluebird also offers a range of group products for companies, travelers and anyone looking to bring friends and family for a unique outdoor experience.
Bluebird Backcountry expects opening day at Bear Mountain to be December 24, 2020 and closing day to be March 28, 2021. Operations will run five days a week, Thursdays through Mondays, and camping will be available Thursday nights through Sunday nights.
Learn more about Bluebird Backcountry and view pass options at bluebirdbackcountry.com.