Cadillac (Tiptop Peak)

Access: Montezuma (summer road 264)
Start: 1000, 1/4/2015
Total Distance ~3.5 mi R/T with a car shuttle from the Peru Creek TH
Duration: 3 hours
Vertical: ~1700'
Aspect: N
Weather: 20F/mostly cloudy, 30 mph NW gusts above TL
Conditions: powder

Tiptop Peak is a low 12000' peak just north of the booming metropolis of Montezuma in Summit County. Cadillac is a north facing avalanche path that runs into the Peru Creek drainage.

The Approach:
The skin track generally follows a summer road that switchbacks on the SW ridge.   At tree line, leave the summer road and cut across the western flank of Tiptop to the first avalanche path facing north with views of Lenawee (i.e. backside of A Basin), Grays, Torreys and Grizzly Peaks across the Peru Creek drainage.

Looking south with Santa Fe Peak in the background

The Line:
There are a few different options to drop into the path. If the avalanche hazard is considerable it's advisable to avoid the above tree line northern face of Tiptop, as it has a 35+ degree pitch that flushes into Cadillac. The skier's left, western edge of the slide path is a safer option to avoid undercutting the section that is more prone to sliding. An alternative is to skin above the steep section and drop in skier's right. This side of the gully has thicker trees.

Top of Cadillac looking north with Lenawee, Grizzly, Torreys and Grays Peaks across the Peru Creek drainage

Regardless of entry point, the terrain naturally funnels into the gully below tree line with sparse young trees scarred by flagging.

The incline is a consistent 30 to 35 degrees until the bottom of the line where the trees thicken and the gully flattens. Skier's left through the thick section leads to a sub-gully with sparse trees and a slope of similar incline - this gully descends to the valley floor and the Peru Creek Trail.

The exit is west along the well-traveled Peru Creek Trail for ~1 mi to the Peru Creek TH where you should have your shuttle parked.

Although Cadillac can and does slide, it is not as likely to avalanche as some of the other lines in the area (e.g. Corkscrew). With careful consideration of conditions, it offers a reasonably safe option for mid-winter skiing.