The east-facing bowls of Flattop Mountain are well below and east of the main summit (12,324') of this most skied upon mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. The east face can be a great place to ski or board in higher avalanche danger conditions as this entire 1200' high slope stays just below a 30 degree angle at its peak with an average (alpha) angle of approx. 25 degrees and with well supported and wind-compacted slopes, this can be a safer mid-winter spot or a great corn snow destination in the spring.
In powder or corn snow conditions, these wide open slopes are a great place to practice off-piste sliding skills or to carve some large radius turns on an often sweet, fall-line descent. Pictured is a post-storm day in February with about two feet of fresh, 5% density snow. The National Park service refers to this slope as "The Drift" due to the large sand-dune like snow drifts that accumulate at treeline near the base of this east face.
An overview of the east side of RMNP looking down on Bear Lake and the two trail systems that depart from here to climb up to the top or around the base of Flattop Mountain. The east face skiing can be approached from above or below on either of these two trails which are about an hour from Bear Lake to the top of the slope in easy conditions. Breaking trail through deep snow could double that time.
A springtime view from the bottom of the east face with many fresh ski tracks on the open slopes that comprise this aspect of Flattop Mountain.
Skinning up the Flattop Trail in typical mid- winter conditions with a strong westerly wind and sustrugi snow on the surface as a result of severe wind scouring. Welcome to RMNP in the wintertime!
Another view of the east face of Flattop with the summit trail in blue, the trail from Bear Lake to Lake Helene and the Ptarmigan Glacier in yellow, and the (L-R) Corral Couloir, east face, north bowl, and Ptarmagin Glacier ski runs in green.
A close-up of the east face of Flattop with the summit trail and typical skin track from the bottom in yellow, the commonly skied lines in blue with the north bowl in blue at far right, and the trail from Bear Lake to Lake Helene or Two Rivers Lake in green.
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Shane Wilder pushing powder on the east face of Flattop Mountain in mid-winter conditions.
Get it while it's fresh! Mid-winter powder conditions don't last long on this often wind-blasted slope that despite its lee aspect is composed of mostly wind-hardened slabs which make for a very stable and firm base for whatever powder might stick to the surface. Springtime is a better bet for consistent corn-snow conditions in a beautiful setting.
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