The Terrain Park comprises the most accessible snow covered hillsides in Rocky Mountain National Park that offer tree-protected skiing and steeper terrain for downhill sliding. Numerous uphill and downhill routes weave their way around the east ridge of Hallett Peak and the complex Glacial Knobs that sit at the base of the biggest canyons in the park: Glacier, Loch Vale, Haiyaha, and the Tyndall Gorges.
The mid-winter skiing in the Terrain Park is typically the best in Rocky Mountain National Park when the winds are howling and a protected, snow covered location is desired. Short pitches of steeper skiing (35-40 degree) are on relatively well-anchored slopes with one of the deeper snowpacks in the Front Range.
Nymph Lake sits below this carvable corner of "The Leftist" descent.
The northeast end of the Terrain Park is located just 1/2 mile from the Bear Lake trailhead in RMNP. It is described as a complex maze of gullys, open glades, and steeper than 30 degree skiing. The high bump on the right is the terminus of the east ridge of Hallett Peak, otherwise know as the "Dream Dome". The Northeast edge of Otis Peak is in the distance on the far-left.
A satellite overview of the Terrain Park with common ski descents in RED, summertime trails in GREEN, common skinning tracks in YELLOW, and streams in BLUE. Runs #1-7 are in the central Terrain Park with #1 being "The Leftist" and #5 being the Haiyaha Creek run, aka "Mario Gully". Runs #8-9 descend off the north face of the east ridge of Hallett Peak down to the west end of Dream Lake. #10 are the numerous open and lower angle runs above Lake Haiyaha below the north face of Otis Peak. #12-14 include the Otis Redding (13) and Otis Couloirs (12). Run #11 descends the "Hourglass Couloir" on the east face of Otis Peak which is an unsupported slope in the mid-40's with significant avalanche potential for much of the season.
Skiing "The Rollover" (#2 above) off the Lake Haiyaha trail with the steeper, north facing Dome Two, (#3 run) in RED which typically has a weaker snowpack and unsupported slopes that combine to give it a higher avalanche danger in mid-winter.
At the top of the "The Leftist", #1 run on Dream Dome looking south towards the north-facing couloirs that drop into Haiyaha Creek (runs #6-7).
Landing a short drop in "The Leftist", the skiers left-most run in the Terrain Park.
Looking down the central chute of "The Leftist" in typical mid-winter storm conditions.
A view of the Haiyaha Trail as it traverses the east face of the terminus of the East Ridge of Hallett Peak, otherwise known as the Dream Dome. The far-right blue run is the furthest right yellow line in the following photo that has an "interesting exit" and is prone to soft-slab avalanches in it's middle and upper sections.
Another view from Nymph Lake of the Terrain Park with the commonly done descents in green and more aggressive and avalanche-potential ski runs in yellow. The ice and mixed climbing area "Olympic Games" is in red which combined with some powder skiing could make for a great multi-sport day in RMNP. Run #1 is "The Leftist", with #2 being the gully just south and the yellow run between being "The Rollover".
Throwing up some powder near the bottom of "The Rollover", a yellow run on the above map (between #1 & 2) which starts on a 37 degree pillow that is unsupported by a small cliff and is one of the better places to get buried and hurt in an avalanche in RMNP.
Hucking a small ice cliff at the top of "The Rollover" in high-stability snowpack conditions.
A short drop at the bottom of "The Leftist".
Plowing powder in the middle of Haiyaha Creek aka "Mario Gulley".
At the top of the short but sweet "Otis Redding Couloir" below the east face of Otis Peak.
Checking-out the fresh tracks and second ski ski group above the Otis Couloir, a very wind loaded and affected slope that is visible from many vantages just below the east face of Otis Peak.
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