Backcountry Skiing Murdock Peak

By Christopher Comstock | March 7, 2017

Backcountry skiing Murdock Peak isn’t easily accessible, but it is enjoyable. Murdock Peak offers steep, big mountain faces of Todd’s bowl & North bowl. The mellow slopes of South bowl on the other side of the peak are also a touring option depending on avalanche danger.

Backcountry skiing Todds Bowl / Murdock Peak

Skiing

Skiing Murdock is Park City resort skiing and backcountry skiing at its finest. On the front side you’re looking at Apex Ridge. A short way down from the top of the Super Condor chair on the run BOA is the beginning of Canis Lupis. One of my favorite inbounds ski runs at Canyons. It’s a LONG natural halfpipe that’s somewhat steep with obstacles. The Lupis is a must ski for any advanced skier visiting Park City resort.

The Backcountry skiing off Murdock has multiple aspects for your choice of north-facing protected powder of North, Forever, or Todd’s Bowls.

South bowl and Dead tree generally offer better snow stability and mellower slope angles when the avalanche danger is higher.

Backcountry Skiing Murdock at Canyons preseason

Access

There’s a fairly long approach to access Murdock Peak. Although Murdock Peak backcountry is just a short boot pack up from BOA it’s on the other side of the rope (people have ducked it) from Park City Canyons resort, there are no backcountry access gates atop Murdock to get to Todd’s Bowl on the north side of the peak. Instead, to access Murdock backcountry, you need to park at Rob’s trailhead on Bear Hollow Drive. Go up Rob’s trail until the second switchback to the left. Continue straight through the trees all the way up to the ridge-line where you’ll rejoin Rob’s trail. At the junction of where Ambush connects, head right through the trees gaining elevation until you reach the mid-mountain trail.