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Why does ski mountaineering season sneak up on me, almost every year? It's not like I don't look forward to it all year long, eagerly anticipating the best season of the year! But yet, here I was after skiing Helen for fun with a protege, thinking I don't have my crampons, or an ice ax. Just my whippet. What peak can we do that we can just skin to the top... Thankfully Bill had the answer, as always. It would be a good peak for all of us to shake out the cobwebs of winter and get on with spring ski season!
We met at the Montezuma trailhead in town and either carried or put our skis on the packs for the short walk up the road to where the access road had snow to skin up. Icy in the morning, muddy in the afternoon. Short approach skin to the drainage we would ascend. A bit icy this morning, and some of the sidehilling was difficult with my fat 112 skis. Even Zach popped out of his skis, and had to carry them for a short bit, looking like a model.
Skinning into the sunZach the model
Slightly above the trees, we get a good view of the descent drainage thats steeper than our ascent. Looking good!
Light and shadows on an icy traverseThe fat skis getting a taste of some ski mountaineeringNick coming up the drainage - Photo Credit: Bill
After a short break, with minimal lounging possibilities, we made the right turn into the lower angled gully for the ascent to the ridge.
Our ascent gully. No rocks!Some Mining ruins up highGaining the ridgeBill taking the lead, despite having the most recent surgery! Photo Credit: Bill
Another short windless break on the ridge before the final summit push. A good lounging spot.
Pano east, summit to the left
Pano west, summit to right
Short portage of skis over a rocky section, then a quick jaunt to the windy summit.
Bill approaching the summitNext to the summit cornice, looking at Grays and Torreys
Me topping out - Photo Credit: BillNick summittingZach skinning to the topWindy summit break, not quite so lounge friendly - Photo Credit: Bill
Evans and BierstadtGrays and Torreys. Who wants to ski Torreys west face? I do!
After a short summit stay, with only minimal lounging, we skinned and then ripped skins to get down to the entrance to the gully.
Skin from the summit to the descent gullyBill checking out our drop in zone next to the impressive corniceBill probably wondering what Nick is doing over there
Bill dropping in, looking like pre surgery BillNick modellingNick dropping in
Finding some corn up top - Photo Credit: BillNick tearing it up - Photo Credit: Bill
We traversed over to a sunnier slope for the better corn. Nick had to go chasing after a glove of Bill's that went flying.
Nick traversing to the goods - Photo Credit: BillNick on the sunny slope
Bill starting off the traverseZach coming down the hot pow
The gang, album dropping soon...
Nick hitting the hot pow
Zach in the lower gully approaching the Lounge section - Photo Credit: BillNick ripping - Photo Credit: BillIs it lounge time? We left that line dripping hot with all our tracks!
Bill checking base depth... it's deep stillZach - I was told there'd be lounging
After a significant and warm lounging session, we were reminded by Nick that we were in fact skiing today, not lounging. So off we went onto the glorious corn snow down to the road.
Zach ripping the cornBill in the lower drainageSome nice angulation for fat skis! - Photo Credit: BillNick coming in HOT!
After a winter of skiing a LOT (on day 85 currently), I was wondering how changing just about everything this season was going to go. New skis, new bindings, even new resorts boots after 7 years with my old ones. I definitely noticed the difference between my Lange's for inbounds and my BC boots I've had for 5 years. Need to crank those buckles, as my skis were a lot more wobbly in the hot pow than I would like.
Overall, a good easy peak to get the rust off! Hoping for a good, long, healthy season to come!
My GPS Tracks on Google Maps (made from a .GPX file upload):
Open sorta. Excel is working in the area and the road is plowed for a bit. Likely repairing after the March avalanche cycle. Road is still gated I believe. Bring a bike!
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