Cutler Ridge to Dead Tree - Ben Lomond , Eden, Utah

If you like to ski and live in the Ogden, UT area, you’ve likely heard of people skiing the “back side of Ben Lomond”. Since taking my AIARE 1 class, this has been on the list of areas to check out. However, when doing research on where to go, we were having trouble finding any clear directions, so, here it is!

*This is just the route we took, on a day when avalanche danger was low. Make sure to check the avalanche forecast and weather before heading out*

Where to park:

 North Fork Park, Ben Lomond Trailhead. You can see the location here.

Where to go:

The route will start off on a service road, where you’ll quickly connect up to the nordic trail. When you reach the first Y in the road, turn left, turn right towards Cutler Flats. On the left you’ll see a turn-off, this will take you to the Mule Trail. Continue past this turnoff, following signs towards Ben Lomond. About ¼ mile down the road, you’ll see the turn off on the left. There will be a bathroom on the right. If you reach the bathroom, you’ve missed the turnoff.

Once you reach the skin track, it’s pretty well defined. Follow this along for another 1.5 or so, and you’ll reach the dead tree area. There will be a weather station on the right side of the skin track. We transitioned, and headed back down in the general direction of where we came from. We skied down a few pitches on the south side of the skin track, and one on the north side of the skin track, then pretty much followed the skin track all the way back down to the nordic center. Next time, we will definitely plan on staying out a bit longer. But this was a perfect first introduction to the zone.

Difficulty:

This trail is overall pretty mellow, with 2300 feet of gain over 3 miles (I had to borrow data from a friend after pausing and not resuming my watch!) . I only had to put up my risers one time, for a few hundred feet of climbing.

Bear Mountain & Snow Summit Ski Weekend

Since landing back in California after Thanksgiving break with ski bags in tow, I’ve been itching to make it to the mountains! After debating making the trip to Mammoth, we decided to save some time and money and spend the weekend at Bear Mountain and Snow Summit instead. 

Leaving bright and early on a Saturday morning, our anticipation was pretty built up by the time we pulled in to Big Bear Lake just two-hours later. However, it seemed the rest of LA thought this was a great weekend to go skiing as well, and long lines were everywhere. After picking up some rentals for Hannah, waiting in line for the shuttle, and finally getting to Bear Mountain it was around 11:00. While the crowds, late start time, and overall chaotic vibe of Bear Mountain were frustrating at the time, it was a great first day of the season! We were all pleasantly surprised at the overwhelming beauty of Big Bear Lake. It provided an almost "Tahoe-esque" feel to skiing in Southern California.

After a great meal and some sleep, we arrived at Snow Summit for Day 2 feeling optimistic and ready to go with a beautiful blue bird day ahead of us. Geared up and parked by 7:30, there was plenty of time to grab some breakfast and caffeine (they serve Starbucks!) before the lifts open at 9:00 AM. We got in a great morning of groomers before the California sunshine turned the snow to mush by 2:00 PM. Finally leaving Big Bear Lake around 3:30, we made it back to the city by the time the sun was setting. 

Overall, a great first time the mountains for the season! Next time, I will only ski Snow Summit, as Bear is a bit crowded and rowdy. 

PC: btfleming.com