Not wanting to take the time to remove our skins and skis, we found ourselves picking our way through rocks, desperate to make contact with any snow. The next four years were the best of my life. We are planning on having a re-union in the next couple months at Geneva basin. Now 73, I’m a little disinclined to brave the bumps and turn my ski-tips straight down. But the fun thing about an abandoned ski resort? Open from mid-December to the end of April, Les Arcs is part of the Paradiski ski area, the second largest ski resort in the world. It’s a pretty known area Have fun! Around one o'clock we boarded the Mont Fort tram and headed up the mountain in order that we could ski down to the Mont Fort Hut (8107 ft) which is situated in the ski area. © 2021 Just a Colorado Gal. While the lift has stopped, the turns have not, and Colorado Adventure Guides is now operating two rustic cabins that host a variety of backcountry adventures. There were proposals to try and reopen the ski area, but none had taken hold and in the early 1990’s, the U.S. Forest Service demolished the lodge which sealed Geneva Basins fate as a lost ski area. The climb tops out at the old ski patrol hut (maintained by volunteers). There are two options when skinning into Geneva Basin: approaching from the north or the south. Something else? Many people referred to Squaw Pass as "Ski School Ski Area," because on most days the instructors out numbered the public! My dad is now 86 and really enjoys all of the articles posted about GB. “ Geneva Basin Ski Patrol Hut ... Geneva Basin via Mill Gulch 3.8 mi 6.1 km. Squaw Pass Ski School was made up of many instructors who had migrated over from A-Basin in the late 60's. You know, I’ve gotten quite a few questions re: how to start backcountry skiing, so I think a post will be coming on that very topic. The road took a sharp switchback and turned left, entirely changing the aspect of the pavement. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to it. It was the old ski patrol hut! Hands down, this hut is my favorite part of Geneva Basin! I was not an expert skier (an upper immediate), but here I found myself all on my own, skimming down into the shadows below me. And there is no snow as far as we can see on the road.”. Roy Romer was not the sole owner of Geneva Basin but he is the familiar name. In many places, the onset of spring means the end of ski season. Heather Balogh Rochfort is a freelance writer and author with a focus on outdoor adventure, travel, and fitness. I was having fun again! Do you ever have those moments where you just think to yourself, “What the F am I doing?” This was one of those moments. Knowing […]. Mount Trelease appears to be a pyramid from I-70 in the Loveland Pass area just west of Denver. Shop unique Ski Resort face masks designed and sold by independent artists. Hands down, this hut is my favorite part of Geneva Basin! SOUTH is the four-month trek, the first ever South Pole round trip on foot. Additionally, Les Arcs has 262 runs over a multitude of pistes, making it one of the best ski resorts in April!. During the 1984 season, a chair fell from one of the cables which lead to the closure of Geneva Basin by the Colorado Tramway Board (2). Abandoned Colorado Ski Resorts: Mesa Creek -Just a Colorado Gal. I’d be really interested in trying it someday, but I wouldn’t even know where to start. The summit is a banal, fairly flat area though with exceptional views of Hagar Mountain and The Citadel.Trelease sits between Dry Gulch and I-70 and would probably not be your first choice of summits in this area but it makes a great start to a loop including the aforementioned 13ers. This was my first outing in them and I was psyched to give them a try…until I went to pull them on and realized they had no insoles. But if you google Geneva Basin, click on the Google Maps directions on the right side of the screen– you can get directions from wherever you are. Plus, there is an old trail map on the wall so you can look at your options for ski runs! Whoops! Geneva Basin is accessed from Highway 285. As I recall, it was the spring of 1984, and almost nobody else was around, even though I think it was on a Saturday. I will definitely share your article with him. What a cool adventure. I am not ready to test it with the skis before then, as I am not that good on crosscountry skis. They promised to take care of the hut and somehow everyone agreed on keeping it intact. Was there the last day it was open and was heart broken when it closed. What does that mean for Will and me? This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. NOT OKAY! Geneva Basin Ski Area opened in 1963. I ended up with a wicked burn!} On the backside of Guanella Pass, the now abandoned ski resort features a ski patrol hut at the base where you can find old trail maps. I’ve been struggling with my backcountry ski boots for months, constantly battling blisters, hot spots, and losing toe nails. Finally, as a surprise, Will bought me a new pair of Salomon ski boots {yay!} But it doesn’t like you could beat the weather or the company How did you get into back country skiing? What a great day, and a great adventure! Sure enough, he bought my love with food that day, and my energy returned. Eventually, Will and I noticed the sun dipping lower on the horizon and knew we needed to get back. I took a long trail that wound along the top of a ridge and then descended into some other trails. Spam? Wear a mask, wash your hands, stay safe. Not bad at all. I discovered that wedging my ski poles underneath my pack transferred the weight from my back to the poles. And when I told my mom about it, she asked me if it was worth it, all that work for a single downhill run. Back into the market went for more. Get up to 20% off. A search box will appear. Being a jerk / offensive? Will had done this previously and said that it would be a lot of climbing for a single day trip. The Duck Creek Lift: Pictures From the 1980's: * Geneva Basin Volunteer Ski Patrol citing that the area will reopen under new owners during the mid-1980's. Get up to 20% off. How to get to Les Arcs Sadly, it never did. Would you have some directions or a contact for someone who takes care of it. Mar 28, 2018 I did, however, find the most desirable route to the ski hut via the old Knicker Knocker run. I grew up skiing there in the late 70’s and early 80’s. its looked after by a lot of people. Colorado born and bred, she loves backpacking, trail running, backcountry skiing, and packrafting, especially with her husband, one-year-old daughter, and lovable rescue mutt Tally. I love hearing about further history with GB; we really love that spot! All the backcountry skiing adventures! It was a bluebird day so the heat was blasting down on us but the wind was wicked. On the return we visit the old ski patrol hut of the former Geneva Basin Ski Area on a side trail. I would like to offer you a correction though. He plopped us down on a guard rail and dug through his pack to find some chocolate-covered anything snacks. Blank patches of black pavement appeared and Will and I continued skinning towards the side of there road where the snow still lived. There is a ton of terrain to be tracked here. Originally dubbed Indianhead Ski Area, Geneva Basin is easily Colorado’s most famous abandoned ski resort. But then things got….tricky. And for awhile that worked, but it became a “choose your own adventure” of sorts. Your FREE account works with all Adventure Projects sites. Pictures From the 1970's: # The lodge and Duck Creek Lift: Skiers resting outside of the base lodge. This was my neighborhood range: I lived on Conifer Mountain and had arrived via 285, from the south. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I just wanted to let you know you made me smile with the amazing memories I have about the best ski area that existed! Geneva Basin Ski Area: Georgetown. I read somewhere that the Forest Service originally planned to tear it down, but a group of locals got involved. So glad I asked , Hi- never heard of this cabin, but it sounds like something fun to visit. Once we got stuck on the lift near the top in a storm while the thing was restarted. try to contact GEMS the Geneva Environmental Management Society their info is in the hut but you can probably find it on line somewhere, […] year was our first foray into these Colorado ski resorts {or powder ghost towns! The building serves as a snack bar and ski patrol station during the day and a hut at night. And for awhile, our skin was no big deal. Trails are patrolled by the National Ski Patrol. That hurts just thinking about it! There are chairs, table, beds and old paraphernalia in the hut. Geneva Basin Ski Area ... Once we gained the main ridge we found the ski patrol hut at the top of the old lift line path where we stayed the night. It felt so good to sit in the sun and soak in the scenery. When a ski lift collapsed in 1984, the resort closed for good, and nature has taken its course in the intervening decades: an old patrol hut (backcountry skiers often spend the night here) and a couple of tiny storage shacks are the only hints that Geneva Basin saw nearly 25,000 skiers in … Actually, my father and uncle, Walter and Bob Burke, were more instrumental in the ownership and daily operations of Geneva Basin. Thankfully my husband knows me well! We chose a run that we had seen while skinning up and enjoyed the rewards of our skinning. Please use this form to let us know if this photo does not belong to Chris Wilson. On the backside of Guanella Pass, the now abandoned ski resort features a ski patrol hut at the base where you can find old trail maps. Les Arcs is unique as it has several sites ranging from 1600-2000 metres all in one destination. In the search box, type the name or place you're looking for and use the "find next" button (the down-pointing carat or arrow) to scroll Rumors of a ghost—the spirit of Edward Guanella, son of the pass’ namesake—circulated in the 1970s. When I get cranky, food is typically the answer, and if it’s chocolate? Guests will use backcountry touring equipment to hike and skin uphill before transitioning to ski or snowboard back down. The skin up to the top wasn’t easy. From the gate to the Geneva Basin, it is roughly four miles so we still had a trek ahead of us. I started skiing at age 10. After all, we still had the four miles of road. A-Basin has one of the longest ski seasons in Colorado, opening in October and closing as late as July. But the helicopter can’t always get in due to weather, so you need to be fairly self-sufficient. If from the north, you have to skin up and over Guanella Pass before dropping into the basin where the ski area is. The Vallée Blanche is not serviced by ski patrol, and so medical attention is difficult. Thankfully, it didn’t take us *too* long to get to the summit and I let out a gleeful whoop when I saw the little cabin. I used to drive over from Georgetown to ski at Geneva Basin when it was open in the early 80’s. Good for you for finding Geneva Basin! Beneath our ski tips was a 2,000-foot ski run blanketed with nearly untouched powder even though the last storm had swept through nine days earlier. My Brother was two years older and was on the ski team. At this point, we were left with a decision: suck it up and tackle the day without any insoles or cut our losses, pack it up and head back to Denver. Ski … When a ski lift collapsed in 1984, the resort closed for good, and nature has taken its course in the intervening decades: an old patrol hut (backcountry skiers often spen… - 2020 southern hemisphere ski season underway in Africa and New Zealand. To complicate our situation further, I realized I was an idiot. Hiking with skis is never anybody’s favorite thing, so we tried to make the best of it. Can’t wait to read it – thank you so much for writing a guide! CO. Because the road was dry as a bone, we stayed in our hiking shoes and A-framed our skis on our daypacks. In December 1965, Walter Burke, then-manager of Geneva Basin ski area south of Georgetown, points to area where an avalanche came down on boys, killing one. My wife and I had skied most of the other slopes in Colorado over the years, but executive unemployment forced us back east where we live now–Virginia, in the Piedmont region where our daughter goes out to ski in Massanutten and Wintergreen. Us Burke’s have very fond memories of the ski area and seem to be sensitive when dad doesn’t get any credit for all of the heart and soul he put into it. I was all by myself, but there were still one or two ski patrol on the run. I would never think to go exploring like that! I lived there since I was three years old and my mother worked there in the cafeteria. With the dense fog rolling in and sun going into hiding, I got the golden opportunity to hop on board with ski patrol. Any day outside with my husband is a good day, yanno? Not easily deterred, we still awoke early, drove up to the south entrance, and found the locked gate. Thanks Heather for the great write up on Geneva Basin. It does have a wood burning stove though, so if you had wood, you could totally head it up all cozy. We ended up skinning/skiing 11 miles with a couple thousand feet of gain, which was definitely a big day. That ski area was my whole life growing up there. Geneva Basin is a perfect example. Eventually, we knew it was ridiculous and threw in the towel: time to remove the skis! Originally coined Indianhead Ski Area, Geneva Basin opened in 1963 on the backside of Guanella Pass. I missed that place grew up and learned to ski there and had fun for years every weekend with the exception of the lift stalling they were gas and you could hear them trying to start the engine up again LOL once and a while they would flood the engine. Eventually, the road had a light covering of the white stuff, so we decided it was time to skin up. Geneva Basin! 1 Georgetown, CO Geneva Basin - The Long Way 5.5 mi 8.9 km. The area had some pretty great runs (Henry’s Holler, Tomahawk, Knicker Knocker) and produced some amazing skiers. Setting out from Scott's wooden hut on the edge of Antarctica, we will manhaul 400lb sledges across 1,800 miles of the most hostile terrain on earth, to the Pole and back. When the resort was in operation, it was used as a ski patrol hut but these days, it is the only remaining structure from the resort’s glory days. It was eventually owned by former Governor Roy Romer and operated for some years until permanently closing in 1984. Learn how your comment data is processed. I plan to return to complete that portion of the adventure in the near future. Then, we began hiking the road. After all, why did we get up at 4am?! From 1955 until 1957, when the lodge burned down, Duck Lake operated as Geneva Basin Ski Area. Almost immediately, it was clear that the sun had melted all of the snow. Overview. The next morning we began from the hut at the top of the abandoned ski area and skinned north along the ridge leading up towards table top mountain. You know it is bad when you see ski patrol and instructors falling over, getting in the back seat and generally embarrassing themselves There was a day around 7 years ago that it was so iced up and hard packed that thredbo closed the entire resort for the day, in the middle of peak season. - Skiing under the midnight sun in the Arctic Circle to be broadcast on Swedish TV - Fresh snowfall for the start of summer skiing in the US. Quite the process. Sure beats hiking! I can’t stand those purpose-built French ski factories – it feels like man dominating nature, and you don’t leave the city to be trapped in a monstrous high-rise.” A typical Ecosign resort has underground parking, a village feel, accommodation right on the slopes, and none of his pet peeve – steep, icy, exterior staircases. WHAT. Thank you for the correction! I still have contact with most of the Ski Team members and their families. I remember the swishing sound as my skis drifted on the hard-packed powder. But one of my favorite things about Colorado is that it’s the exact opposite! Standby! We will review your message within a few business days. Instead of scrapping the trip, however, we opted to wake up SUPER early on Sunday to skin into the base, run a lap, and ski back out. There isn’t anyone that takes care of it; it’s essentially an abandoned hut that visitors drop in on. Please explain.