Four Pines
Hiking Trail
Easy
0.15 mi
0 ft
A primo powder run, with a little bit of everything.
Four Pines is one of the premier backcountry areas off of the resort. There are steeps, chutes, cliffs, boulders, and trees. Likewise, there are a few aspects to choose from ranging from the north, around to the southeast. The area is fairly large, but its popularity often means tracks will be encountered. Four Pines is definitely avalanche terrain! There are no easy ways down, so assess the terrain and snow conditions carefully. To access Four Pines, use the backcountry gate at the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl (on the skier’s right). Pass through the gate and follow the alleyway through the trees south. Continue south as the pitch rolls over into a short run leading to a bench in the canyon. Traverse the bench to the south end of Rock Springs Canyon and look for the start of a bootpack just through a grouping of trees. Take the short boot pack up the ridge and click in a top the ridge. Contour to the skier’s right which will take you to the bottom of the Four Pines Bootpack. This boot pack is longer so be prepared for a 30-60 minute hike, though never very steep. Atop the boot pack you’ll find yourself on a knob and you should see a rescue sled which indicates you are in the right place. Click in and head south east below the knob to the skier’s right and then regain the ridge. Follow the ridge and drop in where you please. Immediately to the skier’s left on your descent is a maze of cliffs and trees that are not the best skiing. It’s best to descend the ridge until you are atop the lower knob a few hundred feet below the top of the bootpack. From the lower knob, head skier’s left for narrow, steep chutes, continue straight east for a more open face, or veer skier’s right to find the elusive and technical Broken Branch couloir. No matter which way you descend Four Pines, you’ll need to traverse to the skier’s left to reconnect with the resort. The traverse is easy to find if you ride one of the northern aspects as you will eventually find yourself in Rock Springs Canyon. However, if you descend an eastern or southeastern slope you’ll need to pay attention in order not to descend too far. A good rule of thumb is to start traversing between 8,000’ & 7,500’. For those without an altimeter look to traverse as soon as the slope flattens out a little bit, also the further south the run you are riding is, the higher you should start traversing. If you find yourself in the valley in very flat terrain, you have gone too far and will need to hike back up to a traverse, or through the flatlands to the resort. Written by FATMAP Official
Four Pines is one of the premier backcountry areas off of the resort. There are steeps, chutes, cliffs, boulders, and trees. Likewise, there are a few aspects to choose from ranging from the north, around to the southeast. The area is fairly large, but its popularity often means tracks will be encountered. Four Pines is definitely avalanche terrain! There are no easy ways down, so assess the terrain and snow conditions carefully. To access Four Pines, use the backcountry gate at the bottom of Rendezvous Bowl (on the skier’s right). Pass through the gate and follow the alleyway through the trees south. Continue south as the pitch rolls over into a short run leading to a bench in the canyon. Traverse the bench to the south end of Rock Springs Canyon and look for the start of a bootpack just through a grouping of trees. Take the short boot pack up the ridge and click in a top the ridge. Contour to the skier’s right which will take you to the bottom of the Four Pines Bootpack. This boot pack is longer so be prepared for a 30-60 minute hike, though never very steep. Atop the boot pack you’ll find yourself on a knob and you should see a rescue sled which indicates you are in the right place. Click in and head south east below the knob to the skier’s right and then regain the ridge. Follow the ridge and drop in where you please. Immediately to the skier’s left on your descent is a maze of cliffs and trees that are not the best skiing. It’s best to descend the ridge until you are atop the lower knob a few hundred feet below the top of the bootpack. From the lower knob, head skier’s left for narrow, steep chutes, continue straight east for a more open face, or veer skier’s right to find the elusive and technical Broken Branch couloir. No matter which way you descend Four Pines, you’ll need to traverse to the skier’s left to reconnect with the resort. The traverse is easy to find if you ride one of the northern aspects as you will eventually find yourself in Rock Springs Canyon. However, if you descend an eastern or southeastern slope you’ll need to pay attention in order not to descend too far. A good rule of thumb is to start traversing between 8,000’ & 7,500’. For those without an altimeter look to traverse as soon as the slope flattens out a little bit, also the further south the run you are riding is, the higher you should start traversing. If you find yourself in the valley in very flat terrain, you have gone too far and will need to hike back up to a traverse, or through the flatlands to the resort. Written by FATMAP Official
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