New terrain at Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek resort is known for a lot of things: super high-end lodging, $20 parking, and its awesome downhill race course, Birds of Prey, among them. But it was never known for backcountry-style steeps.

That changes this year, at least a little. An area called Stone Creek Chutes that locals have been illegally poaching for years is finally in-bounds.

The 180 acres of new terrain feature short, steep gladed runs ranging from 400 to 600 vertical feet in length with pitches up to 45 degrees.

I ran into a group of BC ski patrollers this week and asked them if the chutes were any good. The consensus was "totally, dude."

Stone Creek Chutes is east of Rose Bowl and offers spectacular views of the Gore Mountain Range. The area can be reached from the Cinch Express Lift (#8).