OFF THE EDGE; UNTOUCHED TERRAIN OFFERS PEACE, RISK.

Byline: BRETT PAULY

You won't find Bill's Bowl or Big Butch on any trail maps. They're nicknames of two slopes here that have never seen a chain saw or the blade of a snow grosser. Grades of varying steepness that can offer pristine conditions, technical challenges and a call of the wild for those willing to go ``off the skiin' path.''

Those in the know call it natural terrain. Places where experts try to get away from it all while chasing untracked powder. Places where those who think they're experts try to make a leap of faith into a winter world of closely spaced trees, tight turns and steep, narrow pitches very far from the security of the lodge and the well-traversed runs overseen by the watchful eyes of the ski patrol.

``You don't have to deal with the human factor,'' Mount Baldy Ski Patrol veteran Sarah Hines said of the unnamed chutes at ski and snowboard resorts. ``And you certainly get to experience more nature. You don't hear the chair lift. The trees haven't been trimmed or altered. It's the way it is . . . usually nice and quiet and real beautiful.''

Conditions are always a major factor in determining whether an ungroomed, unpatrolled, ``off trail'' site is safe to ski. But when they're ideal -- six or more inches of light powder after a winter storm or a soft layering of spring snow on top of hard pack - nothing could be finer. These are the days when locals, powder hounds and visiting black-diamond specialists head for the secret spots only the ski patrol and lift operators know about.

``Sometimes it's just the best snow there is,'' Hines said. ``It's what we call `ego snow,' where you can't help but lay down a perfect track because no one else has messed it up yet and got it chunked up. And then it's always nice to admire your own tracks. That's the ego boost.''

Indeed, you can't help but get a rush a self-importance when you carve perfect parallel turns through an inch of spongy, sun-warmed granules above natural snowpack down the series of short descents between Mullin's Mile and Bonanza Bowl on the Chair 3 side of Mount Baldy. To look up at the serpentine you've left behind is inspiring, but frequently far from permanent. There's nothing like a solitary track to attract more.

Baldy is renowned in the Southland for its chutes, offering the steepest inclines to be found anywhere off the map. Those who hanker for the uncommon should boot up at Snow Summit in Big Bear Lake, where El Nino-aided snow accumulation has opened terrain that hasn't been skiable since the late 1970s. If it's tree-skiing you want, try neighboring Bear Mountain.

``That's the good stuff,'' said Kevin Roberts, assistant director of the Bear Mountain Ski Patrol. ``The underbrush has all been covered. When that happens, it opens up the trees so that you have more maneuverability. I would say that our coverage is the best I've seen in seven years.''

For longer untouched runs to the north that leave your gams and lungs burning, little compares to the open bowls of Alpine Meadows, or the seldom-accessed chutes of Heavenly's Nevada side or skiing the pines at snow-magnet Kirkwood after a powdery deluge.

While trees tend to draw advanced skiers, they also have their drawbacks, as Roberts explained.

``It's quiet. It's adventurous. Though it definitely has elements of risk,'' he said. ``If you are alone and no one reports you missing, you could be out there for a long time. We don't sweep the trees.''

Translation: The ski patrol does not check the trees for stragglers or injured boarders at the end of the day like they do on well-trafficked runs identified on trail maps.

Furthermore, Roberts said, ``It literally is a very tight slalom course in the trees, and the only difference is these aren't breakaway gates, as a couple of prominent people (including Sonny Bono) found out recently.''

And those warnings are just for skiers who remain in bounds - within the confines of the ski area boundary. Venture out-of-bounds and you may find even better snow. But you assume a greater risk, because you're completely on your own. These regions are never patrolled. There are no authorities to determine avalanche dangers, thin coverage, concealed obstacles or unforgiving drop-offs. Cross into a spot not open to the public in your hunt for virgin powder and you fight the law. According to the state penal code, it's a misdemeanor to broach the perimeter of an area posted with ``closed'' signs. (See related story.)

Out-of-bounds skiing aside, rewards often outweigh risks for many proficient boarders. And the most remote, steep and tree-lined territory in bounds can be tackled safely with the proper precautions.

``We say there is a big difference between being extreme and being ignorant,'' Hines said. ``You can have fun and it doesn't have to be dangerous. We have a lot of locals who like to challenge themselves and come here just for that (natural terrain).''

She suggests that skiers who prefer the ``other side'' of the mountain go with a partner. At the very least, tell someone you trust where you plan to ski.

Learn about snowpack and snow conditions. With a little education, you can dig a hole and study the layers of snow from different storms to determine avalanche dangers. Look at other runs that are facing the same direction with similar exposure; if they are closed for safety reasons, chances are the chute you want to take is also suspect. Or ask the ski patrol if it's safe.

And if you don't know your way around, go with somebody who does. Find some locals with whom to explore. Ask the ski patrol or some other resort authority for recommendations. And bring a map to familiarize yourself with the region in question.

``You don't go hiking off into the woods without a map or a guide,'' said Roberts, who doesn't recommend tree-skiing for intermediates, ``so why ski into the trees without either?''

SKI REPORT

Bear Mountain - packed powder, 60- to 90-inch base, 32 trails, nine lifts; Mountain High - spring snow, 72- to 96-inch base, 45 trails, 10 lifts; Mount Waterman - spring snow, 72- to 96-inch base, 25 trails, three lifts; Snow Summit - spring snow, 54- to 96-inch base, 31 trails, nine lifts; Snow Valley - spring snow, 78- to 90-inch base, 25 trails, seven lifts; June Mountain - packed powder, 84- to 120-inch base, six lifts; Mammoth Mountain - packed powder, 204- to 252-inch base, 150 trails, 22 lifts.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos, Box

PHOTO (1--Color) Although skiing out of bounds is not illegal, there are dangers of avalanches, and no ski patrol and there could be a long hike from the nearest lift.

(2--Color) Sarah Hines, a ski patroller at Mount Baldy, enjoys some natural terrain skiing.

(3--Color) Sarah Hines, a ski patroller at Mt. Baldy, takes her skis down an unnamed chute. Skiing is tolerated outside the boundaries in some areas, but skiers are prohibited from going into closed areas.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News

BOX: SKI REPORT (see text)