Emma/Gilpin/Sneffels Ski Tour

Telluride to Ouray.  This is an Emma, Gilpin, and Sneffels ski traverse, south to north, with roughly 8,000' of ascent.

Start up the south face of Mt. Emma (13,581') from Telluride (8,750'). Ascend steep snow to the ridgeline just south of the summit, and then do a wee bit of scrambling the final hundred feet to the summit. Ski the steep, sheer north face of Mt. Emma through various cliffbands to a shelf (~12,250') below the south face of Gilpin Peak. The route finding is mostly straightforward. Weave through the cliffs and over vertical wind cornices. Sharpen yer edges!

A slender hallway of steep snow splits the otherwise sheer and craggy southwest face of Gilpin. Crampon straight up to the summit of Gilpin Peak (13,694').

From the top of Gilpin Peak, walk or ski (depending on the last prominent wind direction) down the ridgeline northwest to the saddle which connects Gilpin to Sneffels. Ski north down steep snow to the base of the south face of Mt. Sneffels (~12,750').  An outstanding improvement would be dropping off the summit proper down the north couloir of Gilpin.  

Skin north a wee bit, and ascend steep snow up the normal hiking route to the summit of Mt. Sneffels (14,150'), with a bit of scrambling at the top. The SW Ridge is an awe some more alpine variant. Choose your poison off of the top of Mt. Sneffels - either skiing north which generally requires a rope or steep downclimbing for 100' (the downclimb isn't that challenging, but the exposure is), or skiing the south face.

There is a steep, skiable line that forms right from the summit of Sneffels down the middle of the south face (the Birthday Chutes). Cautiously skiing the hiking couloir is possible if the snow is in shape. The Snake Couloir or the Triple Threat (much added commitment--'Triple-est Threat' after 2 other mountains) are great ways to finish the day. You can ski the Snake and climb back to the south side of Sneffels and an easier way out of the woods via a huge couloir on the northeast side of the peak. Ski and hitch down Yankee Boy Road to Maggie's and Hutch's - Serano burger, onion rings, darkest beer.

Start from the top of Oak St. in Telluride. Head up Tomboy Road a short distance to the Jud Wiebe Trail. Follow the Jud Wiebe trail counter-clockwise to and up the Liberty Bell Trail. From treeline atop the Liberty Bell Trail, traverse left (north) beneath the cliffs of Saint Sophia Ridge to the south face of Mt Emma. Several gullies and rockbands are traversed over, which require maintaining a high line. Maintain your line just below the cliffbands up and around the corner to the southwest ridgeline of Mt. Emma.

Or, from the top of Aspen St., hike up the Sneffels Highline Trail. Once above treeline, ascend a couloir on the south (right) side of the West face of Emma. I believe skiers call this line the Y-Couloir or the Hourglass? It's a high quality, rarely-done ski descent on its own. The summit block can be ascended via fun, easy stemming behind a chockstone followed by steep snow.