Katie's Water Bowl

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The mill creek drainage area is lined with moderately steep chutes that hold snow well into May. These lines are right off highway 550, just north of the town of Silverton.

These chutes are slide paths. You may be skiing avalanche debris.

Drive north on highway 550 out of the town of Silverton. There is a gravel pullout located at the elbow of the highway's first switchback after leaving town. This is also where mill creek meets the road. This is a great ski if you're pressed for time but still want to get in a few steep turns.

Not much to it: You can see and pick out the line you wish to ski at the car. Cross the creek and skin straight up. Depending on snow conditions, it may be faster to bootpack (no axes/crampons required) up.

Although these lines are north facing, they will soften up early in the day if sunny.