This big mountain rarely disappoints, unless of course you trash your gear on some early season rocks. The upper parts of the mountain are gnarly, with steep chutes everywhere off the top ridges that throw you out into wide open bowls. Once you get out of the alpine you will find decent tree skiing, quite a few groomers and a lengthy cat track that can have some fun features off the edges. The backcountry terrain here is much like what you get inbounds just with a lot more consequence, there are endless ridges and bowls to hike to and no ski patrol out there to save you, so if you go be prepared.
If you hit the right snow conditions here you will likely have some of the best days you have ever had. Because Golden is sort of in the middle of nowhere this mountain is still fairly low key and lacks the big crowds that usually come along with big mountains. Don't let a big line at the gondola in the morning fool you as everyone has to get on this lift to get on the mountain, those people in that line are all the people on the mountain and that lift will wisk you up 1160 meters in 12 minutes.
