You can reach backcountry skiing in the Rocky Mountains by uphill skiing or via a ski lift "off-piste." Backcountry skiing can involve a scenic ski tour in the snowy wilderness or a very tough ski ascent and descent.

There are 29 backcountry huts located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado that are linked by 350 miles of route systems that make for excellent backcountry skiing.

This area is called the 10th Mountain Division in honor of the men of 10th Mountain Division of the U.S. Army. They trained during World War II at Camp Hale. When the division used the rough high country of Colorado for training, no one knew the terrain would one day become so popular with winter and ski enthusiasts. In the past, winter soldiers trained to look out for snipers and enemy ski patrols; now skiers catch sight of wildlife and the beauty of nature of the wilderness around Vail, Leadville, Beaver Creek, and Aspen.