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Pickhandle Point West and the Stormtrooper
Backcountry Skiing Route
Details
4.3 mi
2,566 ft
A great ski tour based out of Bear Gap
Linking up both Pickhandle Point West slope and the Storm Trooper is the perfect ski tour if you don’t want to commit your whole day. This trip can be done in a few hours as it is quite close to the ski resort with a clear view from the ski lifts. This was one of those lines that I dreamed of while heading up High Campell Chair as it is a long ridge with numerous options for wide open glade riding. As for Storm Trooper I believe it is called this as a ski patroller declared that the face looks like a mask of a storm trooper. This line isn’t big but it makes your descent back to the resort much better then just riding down the main open gully which I’ve done once and swore never to do again.
This ski tour as with many others starts by hiking up the Quicksilver run before making it to the flat exit of Silver Basin. From here make a low angled traverse East and before long you will reach Bear Gap. From the Gap just keep following the West Ridge of Pickhandle Point until if connects with the Northwest Ridge. Look down and choose which line you would like to descend. Dropping in you just need to ride down to the main gully before transitioning and heading back up to Bear Gap.
Standing at Bear Gap start heading West and before long it will reach a semi flat bench where you need to go to its highest point. This is the Storm Trooper which makes your exit back to the ski resort much better. Strap in and keep heading a bit skiers left as you descend. If you traversed far enough it will take you to the top of Boondoggle ski run where you can ride all the way to the base. If you didn’t traverse far enough it’s bad but not nearly as bad if you would have just descended via the West Face of Pickhandle Point.
Click here for a trip within the area and much more photos
Written by Kyle Miller
Linking up both Pickhandle Point West slope and the Storm Trooper is the perfect ski tour if you don’t want to commit your whole day. This trip can be done in a few hours as it is quite close to the ski resort with a clear view from the ski lifts. This was one of those lines that I dreamed of while heading up High Campell Chair as it is a long ridge with numerous options for wide open glade riding. As for Storm Trooper I believe it is called this as a ski patroller declared that the face looks like a mask of a storm trooper. This line isn’t big but it makes your descent back to the resort much better then just riding down the main open gully which I’ve done once and swore never to do again.
This ski tour as with many others starts by hiking up the Quicksilver run before making it to the flat exit of Silver Basin. From here make a low angled traverse East and before long you will reach Bear Gap. From the Gap just keep following the West Ridge of Pickhandle Point until if connects with the Northwest Ridge. Look down and choose which line you would like to descend. Dropping in you just need to ride down to the main gully before transitioning and heading back up to Bear Gap.
Standing at Bear Gap start heading West and before long it will reach a semi flat bench where you need to go to its highest point. This is the Storm Trooper which makes your exit back to the ski resort much better. Strap in and keep heading a bit skiers left as you descend. If you traversed far enough it will take you to the top of Boondoggle ski run where you can ride all the way to the base. If you didn’t traverse far enough it’s bad but not nearly as bad if you would have just descended via the West Face of Pickhandle Point.
Click here for a trip within the area and much more photos
Written by Kyle Miller