Blanca Peak Trip Report 03/25/2012

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Blanca Peak - 14,350 feet
Date Posted	03/25/2012
Modified	03/29/2012
Date Climbed	03/24/2012
Author	Gueza

Happy June! Err March... Blanca Summit Ski with GoPro video
~~PHOTOBUCKET TEMPORARILY DISABLED MY PHOTOS UNTIL APRIL 14. The GoPro VIDEO IS STILL UP AT THE BOTTOM~~ Route: NW Face Stats: 5,000+ ft, 12 miles RT? Date: 3/24/12 The Crew: Sam (Slopestyle) Eric (Gueza) Sam and I were trying to figure out what peak we should ski this weekend. There was a wind slab/ Storm slab problem in the San Juans, the Elks had really long approaches, nothing else on our lists fit the bill except for Blanca and Little Bear. We were going to be guinea pigs, we knew it. Driving west on 67, we paused on the side of the road to gaze at the route on Little Bear above the hourglass via binoculars. There is less snow on the massif that you can see from the highway than there was in January when I was up there. The route above the hourglass is almost completely dry except for a small sliver that doesn't even touch the summit. The main hourglass looked like it had snow in it though. I'm willing to rock ski a considerable amount, but Little Bear would just have to wait. We drove up the road quite a ways, not exactly sure about the RT stats. The problem with the Sangres is the high snowline which leaves ski mountaineers with two choices: Hike up wearing your ski boots on a rocky dirt road or Hike up with trail runners but have a heavy pack. We opted for choice B. The alarm was set for 2:30am for a 3am start. Right around 2:45am Sam realized he had forgot his headlamp in his other pack. Hiking up on a road like the Lake Como one in the dark with one headlamp was interesting. Snow started before Lake Como, but there would be patches of it. Skinning was inefficient because how often you would have to skin over a lot of rocks or take them off for a bit. Trail runners could not be worn now because of the postholing so ski boots it was. We strapped the skins on for good at the lake, but went around it because of thin ice. We could both easily break through the ice to water by just jamming our poles into the ice. The snow is no more than 3ft deep in most places. We followed a trench that went up the road beyond the lake then cut off in to the trees. You can tell a lot about a person by just walking the trench they broke. I assure you, this person did not like skiers or taking a straight line. The trench went up a hill that was almost to steep to skin, through tree branches, through more tree branches, and through more tree branches. Still better than breaking your own trail given the shallow and weak snowpack. Snowshoes or other flotation is highly encouraged if you plan to be up there especially later in the day. We paused to take a break to look at the sunrise over the San Luis Valley. Sam smiling in anguish walking on his knee he injured ice climbing. Give er hell. Our first view of Blanca a very good looking couloir that comes off of Ellingwood point Looking off to the flanks of the LB - Blanca traverse, Sam spotted a very sporty line which he calls the best line he has ever seen in Colorado. I don't think it has ever been skied. Sam says he will wait until a better snow year, which won't be hard to come by given this year. Blanca We traded sticks for spikes and started to booter. The climbing was tiring as most of the snow is entirely faceted except for the occasional section of suncups. The ski will be a little thin in some places... Pausing for a break, we discussed how we planned to ski it Steep sugar snow added some excitement Sam pushed up very steep sugar snow while I climbed rock bands covered in sugar snow Slim pickens Our Ski carrying efforts were rewarded by a small 50 degree snow slope came right off the summit. This is the best my camera could zoom. Challenger, Kit Carson, Crestone Peak and the Needle. Summit Ellingwood point is looking good for a ski descent with a spring like snowpack Lindsey Ski time Then time for 100ft of down climbing Jump turns commenced with a breakable crust in some areas We got some pretty good POW down low It was so warm we began to just ski in our base layer. Happy with another in the bag. Corn But it wouldn't be long until this... Thanks for a great day and thank you for reading! ~Eric

Happy June! Err March... Blanca Summit Ski with GoPro video

~~PHOTOBUCKET TEMPORARILY DISABLED MY PHOTOS UNTIL APRIL 14. The GoPro VIDEO IS STILL UP AT THE BOTTOM~~

Route: NW Face
Stats: 5,000+ ft, 12 miles RT?
Date: 3/24/12
The Crew:

Sam (Slopestyle)

Eric (Gueza)

Sam and I were trying to figure out what peak we should ski this weekend. There was a wind slab/ Storm slab problem in the San Juans, the Elks had really long approaches, nothing else on our lists fit the bill except for Blanca and Little Bear. We were going to be guinea pigs, we knew it. Driving west on 67, we paused on the side of the road to gaze at the route on Little Bear above the hourglass via binoculars. There is less snow on the massif that you can see from the highway than there was in January when I was up there. The route above the hourglass is almost completely dry except for a small sliver that doesn't even touch the summit. The main hourglass looked like it had snow in it though. I'm willing to rock ski a considerable amount, but Little Bear would just have to wait. We drove up the road quite a ways, not exactly sure about the RT stats. The problem with the Sangres is the high snowline which leaves ski mountaineers with two choices: Hike up wearing your ski boots on a rocky dirt road or Hike up with trail runners but have a heavy pack. We opted for choice B. The alarm was set for 2:30am for a 3am start. Right around 2:45am Sam realized he had forgot his headlamp in his other pack. Hiking up on a road like the Lake Como one in the dark with one headlamp was interesting. Snow started before Lake Como, but there would be patches of it. Skinning was inefficient because how often you would have to skin over a lot of rocks or take them off for a bit. Trail runners could not be worn now because of the postholing so ski boots it was. We strapped the skins on for good at the lake, but went around it because of thin ice. We could both easily break through the ice to water by just jamming our poles into the ice. The snow is no more than 3ft deep in most places. We followed a trench that went up the road beyond the lake then cut off in to the trees. You can tell a lot about a person by just walking the trench they broke. I assure you, this person did not like skiers or taking a straight line. The trench went up a hill that was almost to steep to skin, through tree branches, through more tree branches, and through more tree branches. Still better than breaking your own trail given the shallow and weak snowpack. Snowshoes or other flotation is highly encouraged if you plan to be up there especially later in the day.

We paused to take a break to look at the sunrise over the San Luis Valley.

Sam smiling in anguish walking on his knee he injured ice climbing. Give er hell.

Our first view of Blanca

a very good looking couloir that comes off of Ellingwood point

Looking off to the flanks of the LB - Blanca traverse, Sam spotted a very sporty line which he calls the best line he has ever seen in Colorado. I don't think it has ever been skied. Sam says he will wait until a better snow year, which won't be hard to come by given this year.

Blanca

We traded sticks for spikes and started to booter. The climbing was tiring as most of the snow is entirely faceted except for the occasional section of suncups.

The ski will be a little thin in some places...

Pausing for a break, we discussed how we planned to ski it

Steep sugar snow added some excitement

Sam pushed up very steep sugar snow while I climbed rock bands covered in sugar snow

Slim pickens

Our Ski carrying efforts were rewarded by a small 50 degree snow slope came right off the summit.

This is the best my camera could zoom. Challenger, Kit Carson, Crestone Peak and the Needle.

Summit

Ellingwood point is looking good for a ski descent with a spring like snowpack

Lindsey

Ski time

Then time for 100ft of down climbing

Jump turns commenced with a breakable crust in some areas

We got some pretty good POW down low

It was so warm we began to just ski in our base layer. Happy with another in the bag.

Corn

But it wouldn't be long until this...

Thanks for a great day and thank you for reading!

~Eric

Comments or Questions

BillMiddlebrook	Gack! 3/25/2012 9:38pm Snow coverage is pretty bad on those mountains. Looks like you made a fun time of it anyway.
Elliot	Slim pickins in the sangre 3/25/2012 9:52pm Thanks for the beta nice work making it work
Artvandalay	Crossing Lake Como 3/25/2012 10:05pm Funny. On Thursday I did Ellingwood and I walked over every single one of the lakes including Como. I tested with my axe and it was all solid. Must be melting quickly.
USAKeller	Way to make it work 3/26/2012 1:20am That is thin coverage! Wow. Nice job guys. And that opening shot of Sam is LEGIT!
Matt Lemke	Desperate times require desperate measures... 3/26/2012 2:10am Glad you were able to make the best of it. Many areas in CO have a current snow pack that's 3 months behind what it was last year.
pioletski	Slim is right! 3/26/2012 2:14am Way to git 'er done, and the beta is appreciated. Everyone keep doing the snow dance...
SurfNTurf	Two down... 3/26/2012 5:16pm Now we just have to hope for the Hourglass to come into condition, and you'll have the chance to ski all three Lake Como peaks this year. Great job and report Eric.
bergsteigen	Rocky! 3/26/2012 6:07pm Wow... I may have to ski 13ers and 12ers this year! Until some Elks come into season :wink:
Carl	Thin but in gets er done 3/26/2012 8:30pm Glad things went well for you two. Thanks for the shot of the Needle.
benners	Congrats on the ski, but dang! 3/27/2012 9:37pm Nice work getting up there and notching a descent despite thin conditions, I definitely admire the effort! That said, seeing these photos may have killed any motivation I had to get down to the Sangres this year. Looks marginally better than mid-November down there...

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