Route Finding: Hillman's Highway
All of the chutes mentioned below can be accessed by hiking up Hillman's Highway and traversing (and possibly down-climbing) left and right from the top. There is also a school of thought that preaches hiking exactly what you will ski for intimate knowledge of conditions and terrain. This is a skier by skier choice. (Mouseover Numbers for info)
Exposure: North
Pitch: degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 31 Boot Spur Gully 1: I have not skied this, I do not know anyone who has, and I have never seen anyone try. Large ice-bulges in the middle and bottom make a full descent nearly impossible. I'm not in a position to give any responsible advice on how to access and ski this chute.
Exposure: North
Pitch: 40-50 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 3-42 Cathedral: I am yet to check this one on my Tucks resume. Cathedral is the tightest and most technical chute of the Hillman's Highway area. This no-fall zone requires a good snow-pack for a full run. Its northern exposure keeps the snow firm. Use extreme caution.
Exposure: North / Northeast
Pitch: 40-50 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 33 Dodge's Drop: This great descent has two main entrances viewable from the ridge top that funnel into a narrowing coulior. The pitch will remain consistent through this narrow high rock walled section of the chute before it begins to ease as the coulior slowly widens and bends left again to funnel into the lower section of Hillman's Highway. While this gully offers a rare skiing treat in the east, the multi-directional nature of the coulior may make arresting a slide imperative. Comments per Dave Dore
Exposure: Northeast
Pitch: 35-45 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 24 Hillman's Highway: The easiest way down in the Hillman's Area is also one of the longest at 1400 feet. A consistent pitch with a great big-mountain coulior feel. There are 3-4 legitimate entrances from the top, some on the skier's left provide the skier with a lot of improvisational route-finding before dropping into the main gully. Stay to the skier's left side for softer snow.
Exposure: Northeast / East
Pitch: 40-50 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 35 Duchess: This is an extremely intimidating line. Depending on snow, it can require a difficult down-climb to access from the top. There are a few variations for starting points and any turn up here is highly important; a fall would result in serious injury. The band of rock and vegetation across the middle, about half way down, can make for some tricky turns. Things open up from here on out.
Exposure: Northeast / East
Pitch: 40-50 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 3/46 Empress (a.k.a. Dead End Gully): This hanging snowfield is even harder to access than the Duchess. While not incredibly steep, it's a definite no-fall zone. At the end of the upper field, a section of drops, rocks, trees, and bushes must be negotiated without error. Larger 10-15 foot cliffs, mandatory depending on line choice, end the Empress's line while the skier opens things up into the Lower Snowfields.
Exposure: Northeast / East
Pitch: 30-35 degrees
FC Difficulty Index: 17 Lower Snowfield: This area connects Hillman's Highway to the run outs of the Duchess and Empress. It's a wide open and easy finish to all of these runs. It can also be accessed by traversing skier's right out of Little Headwall, which is the first area you encounter after leaving the Bowl. Depending on the direct sunlight, the Lower Snowfield can produce good corn on warm spring days. The run-out goes to Hojo's and directly into the John Sherbourne Ski Trail; the 2.4 mile Intermediate trail to the parking lot and visitor's center.