WBSkiing Guide

Powder Park 3

Drainage	Mill D North Fork
Terrain	Open
Summit Elevation	9,260'
Lower Elevation	8,600'
Typical Vertical	700'
Location	40.6529° / -111.6192°
Online Map	View on wbskiing.com

The numbering of the Powder Parks may seem arbitrary and is frequently contested, but there is a little method to the madness. The first Powder Park was located at the far reaches of Mill D North Fork near Lake Desolation. That terrain was named decades ago. It is very low angle and was suitable for skinny skis and leather boots.

Other open, low-angle, and very enjoyable terrain in Mill D North quickly gained the same moniker which resulted in numbering the Parks. The original Powder Park is now frequently referred to as Powder Park 1. There is much less of a consensus on location of Powder Park 2, but the slope just north of The Cone is undeniably Powder Park 3.

Powder Park 3, which is the closest "park" to the road, sees the most traffic. The main run offers safe, low-angle terrain that will leave you smiling. Its only downside is that it is so pleasant it gets skied-out quickly. It can even acquire backcountry moguls.

When skiing back to your car at the Spruces trailhead, you can bear left from the bottom of Powder Park 3 to pick up the bottom third of Short Swing.

Getting to Powder Park 3

Powder Park 3 from Spruces Trailhead

Trailhead	Spruces Trailhead
Trailhead Elevation	7,350'
Summit Elevation	9,260'
Total Vertical	2,000'
Skinning Distance	2.3 miles
Online Map	View on wbskiing.com

Follow the directions to Mill D North Fork from the Spruces trailhead. Approximately 20 minutes after leaving the cabin road and 200 feet before the main trail crosses to the west side of the Mill D creek, a skin track typically leaves the main trail and heads up a small sub-ridge on your right. The track ascends this small sub-ridge staying just left of a gully, crosses a flat area, and deposits you at the base of the Powder Park 3 clearing. From there a skin track climbs observer's right of the Powder Park 3 to The Cone.

You can also access Powder Park 3 from Beartrap Fork (see The Cone from Beartrap). The ascent from Beartrap is 1,600 vertical feet versus 1,900 feet from the Spruces, but you'll need to skin back up Powder Park 3 to return via Beartrap. Of course, you'll also enjoy a pleasant run into the Beartrap drainage from The Cone.