THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Chase fresh San Juan powder with AMGA-certified or trained guides on Red Mountain Pass, just above Ouray. This full-day backcountry tour blends safety instruction, tailored terrain, and rich mining-country history for a smart, unforgettable ski day.
Chase fresh San Juan powder with AMGA-certified or trained guides on Red Mountain Pass, just above Ouray. This full-day backcountry tour blends safety instruction, tailored terrain, and rich mining-country history for a smart, unforgettable ski day.
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Book directly with Mountain Trip for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
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Operated by Mountain Trip · Ouray, Colorado
Dawn slips over Ouray like frost on glass, and the Million Dollar Highway starts to stir. Headlights ribbon up toward Red Mountain Pass, where the San Juans flex their volcanic shoulders and the wind needles your cheeks awake. Skins whisper on cold snow, the valley quiet except for your breath, the soft tick of bindings, and a guide’s calm voice cutting through the stillness. The mountains dare you forward—powder tucked in glades, bowls yawning wide, ridgelines guarding views all the way to the Needles.
challenging.
6–8 hours.
Good cardio and leg endurance; comfortable skinning 2,000–3,500 vertical feet at 10,000–12,000 feet elevation.
Guiding, avalanche safety gear (transceiver, shovel, probe), and a customized itinerary are included. Touring skis/splitboard, skins, boots, and clothing are not included.
Yes. Guides tailor terrain and pace to your experience and provide instruction on skinning, transitions, and avalanche safety.
Most groups complete 2–4 laps totaling 2,000–3,500 feet of vertical, adjusted for conditions, fitness, and goals.
Guides choose conservative terrain such as sheltered glades, adjust the plan, or reschedule if conditions aren’t appropriate.
Pick-up in the Ouray area is available upon request. If driving, winter tires (and chains when required) are strongly recommended for US 550.
Breathable base layers, softshell or light insulated midlayer, waterproof shell, insulated gloves, hat/helmet liner, and warm socks. Bring a puffy for transitions.
Ouray’s mining boom in the 1880s pushed routes over Red Mountain Pass; the Million Dollar Highway was expanded under road-builder Otto Mears to move ore between Ouray and Silverton.
Travel on consolidated snow to protect alpine vegetation. Give wintering wildlife wide berth, keep group noise low, and carpool to reduce roadside parking impacts on US 550.
Mountain Trip operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
Book with Mountain Trip
Book directly with Mountain Trip for the best rates and real-time scheduling.
Reserve Now