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A fantastic light tour with limited danger only 20 mins from I-70 south of Rifle.


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Map Key

2.2

Miles

3.5

KM

Ascent

10,083' 3,073 m

High

7,939' 2,420 m

Low

2,144' 653 m

Up

0' 0 m

Down

19%

Avg Slope (11°)

59%

Max Slope (30°)
Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

Description

Lou Dawson's "Light Tours of Colorado" is your best reference for this tour.

Start from the public access signage off CR317 (ending point on this map), tour up this wide summer forest road, until you reach a not-so-obvious drainage devoid of avalanche prone slopes.

Take this direct line up to Shark Park, an obvious set of glades and wide aspen groves. GPS will be your friend here if this is your first time at Shark Park, the approach is not obvious but the glades will be.

The easiest way would likely be to download this GPX track and follow it, this will remove route-finding ambiguity as well as the possibility of accidentally traversing into private property (very easy to do).

Once you reach the upper glades around 9,500 feet, there are countless descent options, some several hundred more feet above you, conditions depending. Point your line towards the forest road on your last lap and, if done correctly, one can easily ski this from top to bottom, all the way back to your vehicle at the TH.

Contacts

Shared By:

Jake Albright

Trail Ratings

  4.0 from 1 vote

#291

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  4.0 from 1 vote
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Ascent Rankings

#76

in Colorado

#291

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Photos

Aspen groves in Shark Park, low angle fun.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO
Upper-middle glades in Shark Park - awesome low angle turns here.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO
Powder turns in Shark Park.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO
Avoid the private property here - no joke.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO
Starting point for a Shark Park tour - park at the pullout here.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO
Lower glades at shark park - a little shallow here, make sure you have good speed on the descent.
Mar 27, 2023 near Rifle, CO

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Mar 22, 2023
Jake Albright
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