[jfreeburg]

My friend and I are lucky enough to have 13 days starting next week to head out on an adventure into the great outdoors. We will have a car, snowshoes, skis and whatever other gear we need to get outside for something big. We are experienced mountaineers, not afraid of cold weather or long distances. What would you recommend? We may do a climb of Hood, Shasta, and then 6 days in the backcountry of Yellowstone. Or something comparable. Perhaps Banff, the Sierras, or something else. We are peakbaggers, so summits are nice, but we realize in winter, the best trip may be a high traverse for several days on snowshoes or skis. Specific suggestions would be great - what high route is accessible in winter, with minimal avy danger. We both have avy I training and will take avy gear.

[Schenk]

Indian Creek. Moab Or do a long tour in Yellowstone on touring skis. If you want more challenging terrain, do a tour in the San Juans. or Cascades, or any range. Pick any range and do a multi day traverse on skis. Make your own route and have an adventure! If you have plenty of flow (as in $$$$) then start in SLC and hit as many ski resorts as you can as you do a road trip around UT/CO Log in to NOAA and plan your next powder fest.

[jared_j]

How good are your ski skills / what kind of ambition do you have for ski activity? Abstracting from costs, what about posting up in the Jackson area? Do some steep skiing big days in Tetons, some mellow multiday trip in Yellowstone, have option for lift served skiing if snow conditions / weather are prohibitive. If you aren’t super ski focused, I got nuttin. I suspect the east side Sierra suggestion is a good one but am not familiar with the flagship / premier winter traverse action there.

[Schenk]

[mountainsandsound]

It's been my dream to do a long ski tour in the Yellowstone backcountry. Big mammals and lots of routes without avalanche danger. I think it would be an amazing, crowd free time to enjoy the park without having to worry about bears. Shasta is a good climb and can have long periods in the winter with low avalanche danger but the wind on that mountain is no joke. Seems a bit hard to predict as well.

[jfreeburg]

Thanks for all the recommendations. We are only average skiers and my buddy is nursing a knee injury so we won't be doing anything real steep. I actually just got back from a trip to Jackson and Yellowstone, though I only had a few days in Yellowstone and no overnight gear. It did inspire me to think that I could put together a pretty cool multi-day trip there. The wildlife is pretty incredible. On one hike, I saw two herds of bison, 4 coyotes, and 15 bighorn sheep. That doesn't even count the wildlife on the drive to the trailhead. Jackson is definitely a place to go back to as well. Maybe a trek from Teton Pass up to Targhee? Seems like a reasonable ski/snowshoe... Jeff - any particular routes in the Sierras you would recommend? Whitney may be an option for us but I'd like to get off the beaten route a little.