Summer Stashes: Getting turns on Independence Pass

By now most skiers have accepted summer’s arrival in all its warmth and glory. But while some may be hanging up their gear for the season, high in the mountains remain a few dedicated souls who are still chasing turns. This summer, we will talk with a few of these die-hards about their favorite “summer stashes” that take them to the hills while they wait for the next snowfall.

All summer long, we will add to the growing list of places where you can find snowy terrain to beat the heat. This week, we caught up with Tami Razinger and Tim McClellan who spent four days skiing on Independence Pass.

Tami Razinger takes a cornice drop off Independence Pass.

Location: Independence Pass— stretching between Leadville and Aspen, Colorado
Team: Tami Razinger and Tim McClellan
Prime Time: Late May to early June
Summit Elevation: 12,096 feet
Descent Date: May 31 – June 3

A ride up the pass takes Razinger and McClellan to their backcountry access point. [Photo] Tim McClellan

This Spring, Tim McClellan and Tami Razinger left their Vermont home and headed west in search of snow. Since then, they have logged over 15 days in nine different locations and just recently made the journey back home to Vermont. While on their journey, they spent a few days in Colorado milking the remains of the 2015-16 season.

Razinger goes for a sunny ski off the pass. [Photo] Tim McClellan

“Out of all the places that we skied at, Independence Pass definitely had by far the most snow,” Razinger reports. McClellan adds, “There’s one place just at the top of the line we dropped into [that had] 50 inches of snow, and that was in the beginning of June.”

McClellan approaches a snowy ridgeline. [Photo] Tami Razinger

The duo made the most of their time on Independence Pass by keeping approaches short and descents long. “We skinned for not more [than] half a mile, so it was a pretty mellow approach. We crossed an open ridge line and then dropped into a couple different bowls on either side to maximize the skiing to effort ratio,” says McClellan.

The snow may be melting, but there are still pockets of white under the summer sun. [Photo] Tami Razinger

Given the abundant terrain choices, they had no problem finding the perfect line. “There are chutes and cornices,” says Razinger of the diverse options.

“And there were some lines with wind spines [that you could] ride like a wave,” says McClellan. Ultimately, the team was impressed by what the Colorado backcountry has to offer, as Razinger concluded, “Some of the lines were probably the coolest that we have ever skied.”