16-520: The Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area located in the Elk Mountains of central Colorado . The 181,535-acre (734.65 km) wilderness was established in 1980 in the Gunnison and White River national forests. Within its boundaries are 100 miles (160 km) of trails, seven of Colorado's fourteeners and nine passes over 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The wilderness
32-460: A shorter ski was worn on the other foot for kicking. The underside of the short ski was either plain or covered with animal skin to aid this use, while the long ski supporting the weight of the skier was treated with animal fat in a similar manner to modern ski waxing . Early skiers used one long pole or spear. The first description of a skier with two ski poles dates to 1741. Troops in continental Europe were equipped with skis by 1747. Skiing
48-563: Is home to the famous Yule Marble Quarry. Quarried marble was used to create The Tomb of the Unknowns, the Lincoln Memorial, Denver Post Office and other buildings. The range receives a great deal of snowfall due to its position to the west of the continental divide and the westerly origin of many winter storms. This is exploited by the ski areas in the vicinity of Aspen, which are located on the flanks of smaller mountains alongside
64-721: Is named after the two peaks known as the Maroon Bells , and the Snowmass Mountain . This article related to a protected area in Colorado is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Elk Mountains (Colorado) The Elk Mountains are a high, rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of west-central Colorado in the United States . The mountains sit on the western side of
80-474: Is practiced in certain areas that are reserved exclusively for ski jumping. Telemark skiing is a ski turning technique and FIS-sanctioned discipline, which is named after the Telemark region of Norway. It uses equipment similar to Nordic skiing, where the ski bindings are attached only at the toes of the ski boots, allowing the skier's heel to be raised throughout the turn. However, the skis themselves are often
96-521: The Altai Mountains , according to an interpretation of ancient paintings. However, this continues to be debated. The word "ski" comes from the Old Norse word "skíð" which means to "split piece of wood or firewood". Asymmetrical skis were used in northern Finland and Sweden until at least the late 19th century. On one foot, the skier wore a long straight non-arching ski for sliding, and
112-884: The Continental Divide , largely in southern Pitkin and northern Gunnison counties, in the area southwest of Aspen , south of the Roaring Fork River valley, and east of the Crystal River . The range sits west of the Sawatch Range and northeast of the West Elk Mountains . Much of the range is located within the White River National Forest and the Gunnison National Forest , as well as
128-537: The Maroon Bells , a popular destination for recreation alpinism . Mount Sopris (12,953 ft) sits at the northwest end of the range and dominates the skyline of the lower Roaring Fork Valley and the town of Carbondale, Colorado , serving as an unofficial symbol of the area. Notable peaks in the range include: The range provides a formidable barrier to travel and is traversed only by backroad passes and trails, including Schofield Pass , Pearl Pass , and Taylor Pass . State Highway 133 traverses McClure Pass , at
144-637: The Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness and Raggeds Wilderness . The Elk Mountains rise nearly 9,000 ft. above the Roaring Fork Valley to the north. The lowest peaks in the range are its fourteeners , Castle Peak (14,265 ft), Maroon Peak (14,156 ft), Capitol Peak (14,130 ft), Snowmass Mountain (14,092 ft), Pyramid Peak (14,018 ft), and North Maroon Peak (14,014 ft). Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak are collectively known as
160-722: The Roaring Fork Valley. Skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport . Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS). Skiing has a history of almost five millennia. Although modern skiing has evolved from beginnings in Scandinavia , it may have been practiced more than 100 centuries ago in
176-471: The bottom of alpine skis to give them traction on snow. This permits Nordic style uphill and back-country travel on alpine skis. For downhill travel, the heels are locked and the skins are removed. The Nordic disciplines include cross-country skiing and ski jumping , which both use bindings that attach at the toes of the skier's boots but not at the heels. Cross-country skiing may be practiced on groomed trails or in undeveloped backcountry areas. Ski jumping
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#1732786708373192-543: The same width as Alpine skis. The following skiing disciplines are sanctioned by the FIS . Many have their own world cups and are included in the Winter Olympic Games . Equipment used in skiing includes: Technique has evolved along with ski technology and ski geometry . Early techniques included the telemark turn, the stem , the stem Christie , snowplough , and parallel turn . New parabolic designs like
208-478: The supervision of the ski patrol and the ski school . Alpine skiing branched off from the older Nordic type of skiing around the 1920s when the advent of ski lifts meant that it was no longer necessary to climb back uphill. Alpine equipment has specialized to the point where it can now only be used with the help of lifts. Alpine Touring setups use specialized bindings which are switchable between locked and free-heel modes. Climbing skins are temporarily attached to
224-548: The two is the type of ski binding (the way in which the ski boots are attached to the skis). Also called "downhill skiing", Alpine skiing typically takes place on a piste at a ski resort . It is characterized by fixed-heel bindings that attach at both the toe and the heel of the skier's boot. Ski lifts , including chairlifts , bring skiers up the slope. Backcountry skiing can be accessed by helicopter , snowcat , hiking and snowmobile . Facilities at resorts can include night skiing , après-ski , and glade skiing under
240-470: The western end of the range. The range has been the site of mining activity since the days of the Colorado Silver Boom , which saw the founding of mining towns such as Aspen and Ashcroft . In the late 19th century, the western and southern flank of the range became the site of intense coal mining activity which continues to the present day. Treasure Mountain, overlooking the town of Marble,
256-504: Was primarily used for transport until the mid-19th century but, since then, it has also become a recreation and sport. Military ski races were held in Norway during the 18th century, and ski warfare was studied in the late 18th century. As equipment evolved and ski lifts were developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, two main genres of skiing emerged— Alpine (downhill) skiing and Nordic skiing . The main difference between
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