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First, I must tell you the time and date stamp on my camera is incorrect. The climb was May 3rd 2011, not May 1, 2010.
My friend Paul and i met at 6:15 am in the stegosauras lot in Morrison. We had to park at the bakerville exit and start our skin from there at 7:30 am. It took 1.5 hours to get to the trailhead up Stevens gulch.
Emperor from bakerville Stevens Gulch road with objective in back ground. Long way to go!
In the past it has only taken me 2.5 hours to summit Torrey's but for some reason it took us 4 hours to summit this time. Maybe it was the extra distance due to the snowy road, or the large blisters I had on my heels. Rod and Razz, the Welshmen who fixed my blisters! Paul gaining the ridge to Grays with the top of Lost Rat in the background. Kelso East Face of Torrey's
Anyway, by the time we hit the saddle, we were worked. The last pitch was very hard. Once we got to the top, the sun broke through the afternoon overcast and all was good in the world again.
Me on the peak. All is good in the world! Paul on the peak (worked)
We hung out for a few, and then descended the northwest coulior, or tuning fork I believe some call it. Conditions were pretty bad at first. Boiler plate for the first 50 feet through narrow chutes, to very thick windslabs which I though for sure were gonna break and slide through scree.
Paul on the Boiler plate entry
Then, the coulior showed its true form and wonderfull powder conditions persisted for the entire pitch.
Paul enjoying May POW!
Boot to shin deep, light snow, 35 degrees straight to grizzly gulch (~ 2800 ft) where the snow turned into something I never felt before. I don't know how else to describe it but weird. Once we were at the bottom of the snow field, we saw the tracks of the group who had skied the Emperor. We followed their tracks straight out of Grizzly Gulch to the junction of stevens/grizzly where their truck was stuck in snow
All in all, it was a great day getting out for the first 14 er of the year. I can wait for some corn! And will probably ski this line again this year as the pitch is perfect for huge turns! Once the snow melts on Stevens gulch, the approach will be much easier. What a winter we had!
Stats:
Elevation gain: 4,500 ft
Distance traveled: 10.5 miles
Time: 8 hours
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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