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Trip 1

BARRETT RIDGE

THE ESSENTIALS

Nearest Town Saratoga, WY

Distance 0.6 mile

Vertical 800’

Season December to April

Elevation Range 8200’ to 9000’

Difficulty Rating Easy

Skiing Rating

SNOTEL Station South Brush Creek (772)

Forest Zone Medicine Bow National Forest, Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District

CAIC Zone None

USGS Quad Ryan Park, WY

Weather WYZ063

THE HISTORY

Despite its relatively recent closure (sometime in the 1970s), painfully little is known about the old Barrett Ridge ski area. It had a lift, and at least two dominant ski runs. Beyond that, no one—not the area’s museums, or national forest office, or local residents—seems to know or remember much at all. Barrett Ridge is an enigma and was one of the only lift-served ski areas on the west side of the Snowy Range.

Around the same time that Barrett Ridge operated, however, the U.S. Forest Service received a proposal for another ski area on the west side of the Snowy Range. To be called “Silver Creek,” it would have been southwest of Snowy Pass and Medicine Bow Peak on a south-facing slope in the South French Creek drainage. Unique among ski areas in the Rockies, it would have been a “top base” ski area: You’d park your car at the top, and then ski down and ride the lifts back up to your car. The planned ski area had 1700 feet of vertical, but building it would have required plowing the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, which was closed in winter miles below the proposed ski area. It also would have required a new access road from the byway to the base area, a water source, electricity, and telephone lines. In spite of such challenges, the Forest Service thought it had potential. The agency’s one recommendation: locate the base area at mid-height, so that if the lifts broke down, guests would only have to climb half the height of the ski area to get back to their cars.

Access to the area was planned via Saratoga and Ryan Park, and Silver Creek reportedly had the strong support of the Saratoga Inn (whose winter economy surely would have benefited from the skier traffic). Silver Creek almost got off the ground, but never did.

THE TRAILHEAD

Begin at the Ryan Park Ski Slope Trailhead on Highway 130. From Saratoga, Wyoming, drive south on combined Highway 130/230 for 8 miles. Turn left (east) onto Highway 130, and continue for another 13 miles. The road will make a sharp right turn, heading south. At this point, you’ll cross into Medicine Bow National Forest. Three-tenths of a mile beyond the national forest boundary, you’ll pass the Brush Creek Visitor Center (closed in winter) on your left, and 0.8 mile beyond the visitor center (and 1.1 miles beyond the national forest boundary), you’ll arrive at the Ryan Park Ski Slope Trailhead, with a parking lot on the east (left) side of the highway (UTM: 13 372947 4576890). If you reach Ryan Park Road and the minuscule town of Ryan Park, you’ve gone too far.

Alternatively, from Riverside, Wyoming, drive north on Highway 230 for 10 miles, turn right (east) onto Highway 130 and continue as above.

The “Buzz”

If you like getting away from the crowds, this is the place to do it. There are no major towns for a long way in any direction. With the minimal approach, if this area were located anywhere else closer to a population center, it’d be swarmed with skiers and sledders.

—The author

THE APPROACH

The old Barrett Ridge ski area is literally roadside, and the approach is about as short as it can get. From the parking lot, cross to the west side of Highway 130, descend to Barrett Creek and cross to the base of an open, snowy meadow. You’re at the base of the ski area. Three primary runs are visible from here. Looking up-slope, there is a main run on the left, a main run in the middle, and the lift line on the right. The simplest approach is to pick your line and skin up it. If you’re intent on reaching the 9000-foot crest of Barrett Ridge (UTM: 13 372228 4576360) to squeeze out the most vertical, the easiest passage to the top is via the lift line. A trail traverses the slope at about mid-height, allowing easy movement between the various runs. About two-thirds of the way up the slope, the lift line appears to close out in a stand of trees. Continue up the fall line, and the lift line will become evident once again. Stay the course and finish in an open stand of evergreens atop the ridge.

THE DESCENTS

Barrett Ridge has three primary runs. Standing atop the ridge, there is a large run on skier’s right, a large run on skier’s left, and the lift line farthest to the left. All three runs have similar slope angles (more gentle at the bottom, steeper high in the trees). If you want to do lots of short laps on wide-open runs, stick to the bottom half of your chosen run. If you want to get in more vertical per lap, and enjoy skiing steeper lines through tight trees, ascend the lift line to the top of Barrett Ridge.

Looking up the lift line at Barrett Ridge

THE APRÈS SKI

Don’t expect much of an après ski scene in this quiet corner of Wyoming. But you can try these options in Saratoga:

Espresso Bellissima, 1st and Bridge streets, (307) 326-3477

Hotel Wolf Restaurant, 101 East Bridge Street, (307) 326-5525, www.wolfhotel.com

Silver Saddle Restaurant, Saratoga Inn, 601 East Pic Pike Road, (307) 326-5261, www.saratogainn.com

Warm Springs Cafe, 405 North 1st Street, (307) 326-5046

In Riverside (population: 59), try the Mangy Moose Saloon (no listed phone number or address, but you can’t miss it on Highway 230).