GROOMED
Bear Tree is a nice blue that is wide open and usually has less people on it than other trails on the front side because you have to take a traverse to get here and most people drop in earlier. This is a great option for the intermediate who want to go to the base area but want to avoid the blacks of Giant Steps or International, or anyone that wants a fun and open blue with a nice middle of the road pitch. Can get crowded at end of day.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Named for an aspen tree at its edge which bore the black,
curved lines of her bear claws, indicating a spot where a
mother bear taught her cub to climb. This particular tree was
cut down by mistake during the late 1970’s, but sections
of its trunk were rescued and placed in the Colorado Ski
Museum in Vail.