Peak(s):	Mt. Harvard - 14,424 feet
Date Posted:	05/18/2010
Date Climbed:	05/16/2010
Author:	bergsteigen

Harvard - South Face Couloir Ski
Mt. Harvard Summit Skier: me Couloir Skier: Bill Middlebrook Wished they had gotten more sleep: Caroline (USAKeller), Lance (comin2getcha) Ascent Route: Standard - South Slopes Descent Route: South Face Couloir Mileage: 13.2 Elevation Gain: 4,600' Vertical Ski: ~4,600' Eeny, meeny, miny, moe - Catch a Sawatch 14er by the toe After a few months of trying to get a 14er ski trip set up with Caroline and Lance, we were finally on the road heading for the Sawatch. Plan #1 was to go up the Antero road and climb a couloir on the north side of Tabeguache Peak to ski. But around Fairplay, the satellite phone call came in from Bill, no go on the road, drifts too big to navigate via ATV's. So a new plan was needed. Plan #2A: Harvard, #2B Belford/Oxford, #2C Missouri. Hmmm which to pick? Harvard is my favorite for views, so that was my choice. Didn't matter that I had only just climbed it again the previous fall. So we met up with Bill at a gas station along the way, and drove all the way up to the trailhead. Even though it was 4pm by now, we saddled up our backpacks for the necessary shortening of the approach to the peak. Just as we were getting ready to start, a group of 4 were coming down the trail to give us some beta on the trail snow conditions. We carried our skis for a short distance up the trail, before there were calls for my boot post-holes to be larger (sorry I have small feet!), and that they be farther apart (again, sorry I'm short). Very soon after the bridge crossing, we put the skis on, disconcerted that the pertinent question of why the other group boot packed for a few miles up the trail. The snow must have been very solid earlier in the morning. We could have skinned most of the way from the trailhead as it was. We had intermittent sun and snow as the day's storm was moving through the area. It made for some interesting views along the way, as well as comfortable temperatures. On the way up, there were a few bare patches here and there, but nothing too troubling with skins on. The longest bare stretch was on the other side of the 2nd bridge crossing, on the north side of the stream. This would also be the area where the most melting would occur the next day as well. Along the way, there were a few interesting small stream crossings. One in which involved balancing on a small snow covered log. A stream splash disaster at any moment if you lost balance or grip. Only Lance opted to take the skis off and cross the easy way. The gaping stream crossing over the snowy log Our group made decent time up trail, but we were racing against the descending sun. Eventually we had to stop before the treeline meadow area, so we could set up tents before it was dark. Basecamp would be at 11,2K. I brought my Bibler Tripod bivy, and needed the extra light to figure out the pole placement. Haven't set this up in a couple years! Dinner, water and then to bed, it will be an early 4am start the next day. Day 2: Winter wonderland of fresh untracked snow I wake up at 3:29 to hear: Wake up or I'll start throwing snowballs! Amusingly, a few seconds later, my alarm clock goes off. Thankfully it was a reasonably warm night, and getting out of the bivy wasn't too hard. Unfortunately Caroline had a very bad night, didn't sleep and never got warm. She didn't like her odds for the day, and called the climb before ever leaving the tent. It was too bad, as she missed an amazingly beautiful day. So Bill and I start skinning up the valley in the dark, following the previous days' skin track, until it veers off towards Columbia. After that, the upper basin was untracked, and we had to plow through the snow that had fallen from the storm over the last couple days. We traded off lead as we went up, watching the alpenglow illuminate the surrounding peaks. Yale took on a rosy glow and it stood out from the sky behind. Yale in alpenglow At one break point, Bill digs a pit to check out the layering of the recent snow. We find 3 layers that break apart like a deck of cards if tilted. So we knew to watch out for the second of the storm layers above. Thankfully, the higher we went, the more we lost the distinctive layering structure, and in some places the snow appeared mostly unconsolidated above the old dirty snow layer. Nice Shadows - Photo Credit: Bill Morning Shadows Following the skin track - Photo Credit: Bill The downside to Harvard is that the main elevation gain comes at the very end. So it always feels like you're almost there. Up on the final hummock crest before ascending the ridge to the summit, we could get a good view of our descent couloir. It was the one just to the left of the rocky outcrop, and would stay out of the sun for the longest time. The slope angle would be ~32 degrees, so a reasonably safe descent option for our current snow pack. Skinning up the final approach to the peak Our descent couloir - in the shade - middle of photo Skinning up to the ridge Side view of our descent Pano of the valley - half way up Harvard Always looking to learn new things, I decided to try Caroline's 5-hour energy drink. For me, it works quite well. I felt rather strong as I skinned up the ridge. I knew I had the energy to make the summit, I just hoped I had enough time before the snow warmed up too much. Bill on the other hand, was more interested in skiing the couloir, and decided to save his strength for that. So after turning on the radios and coming up with a plan for meeting up at the couloir, I make the final push for the summit. I thought I would be able to skin all the way up to the last rocky pitch to the summit. No go. Just before the final stretch to the ridge crest, is a very icy wind scoured section, where my skins/edges got no purchase. So I swapped skis and skins, for crampons and ice axe. Much easier! Though once on the ridge crest, I had to post hole through the wind drift on top to make it to the rocks. From there it was an easy rock-snow-ice scramble to the summit. The final push to the rocky summit Side view of my exit from the summit ridge With Bill on the radio reminding me of the time, sun and warming snow, I race through my summit rituals. Spot OK message, photos, repack crampons and axe, skins off, click into skis, go! The transition was so rapid, my Spot never had time to send the first message. At least I had it on track before and after, and it happened to drop a point on the summit. Summit Pano - South Summit Pano - North The snow is continuous off the summit, if you go slightly off to skiers left as you ski east on the ridge. Before the first ridge drop off, I turned back southwest to find the nice wide snowy exit off the summit ridge, that we had spied on the way up. It was go time! Summit snow Summit ridge snow About to drop in! I hugged the edge of the rocks as I curve to the southeast, skiers left, and meet up at the edge of the descent couloir. Bill was waiting on the far side, having dug a pit while waiting for me to make the summit. First tracks off the summit Looking down couloir Bill made quite a few tests of the snowpack, with hard cuts and big jump turns, but no failure. We didn't want to charge the couloir as the snow had warmed enough to send balls down as we skied. So we descended one at a time in a few hundred feet sections. This was fine with me, as I was still tired from the summit push, initial descent, and not a lot of rest in between. While the snow had warmed up and wasn't as light and fluffy as we would like it, the skiing was really enjoyable, as can be seen by the perm-a-grin on our faces. - Photo Credit: Bill Perma-grin - Photo Credit: Bill - Photo Credit: Bill Once we had finally gotten out of the couloir, we took skiers right down valley, and kept high in elevation as we went down. We didn't want to get trapped in the bowl, if there was a bump at the end. From there it was a pleasant sunny descent back down to treeline. Skiing off into the valley The only thing marring the untouched landscape was the littering of a Harvard law school flag along the trail. We didn't know if it might be a marker for a group camping later, so we left the flag where it was. Should have taken it, as we realized later it was no such marker. The group that planted it was in tennis shoes and post holed through our nice skin track. The lower we got, the slushier the snow became. We knew this would happen. The pack out from camp was not anticipated to be easy. Weighted down, on slushy snow, hidden rocks, rocks newly exposed, melted out stream crossings, bare spots and the inevitable flat and uphill sections awaited. But after the amazing ski descent off the summit and down the couloir, spirits could not be damped too much. The skis came of a couple times, as certain areas just couldn't be crossed. Other bare spots were easier. But once at the final bridge, there was no more snow and the skis were carried back to the awaiting vehicles. Climb: left, Ski: right My Full Photo Album - Lots of scenery and ski shots! Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Harvard - South Face Couloir Ski

Mt. Harvard

Summit Skier: me
Couloir Skier: Bill Middlebrook
Wished they had gotten more sleep: Caroline (USAKeller), Lance (comin2getcha)
Ascent Route: Standard - South Slopes
Descent Route: South Face Couloir
Mileage: 13.2
Elevation Gain: 4,600'
Vertical Ski: ~4,600'

Eeny, meeny, miny, moe - Catch a Sawatch 14er by the toe

After a few months of trying to get a 14er ski trip set up with Caroline and Lance, we were finally on the road heading for the Sawatch. Plan #1 was to go up the Antero road and climb a couloir on the north side of Tabeguache Peak to ski. But around Fairplay, the satellite phone call came in from Bill, no go on the road, drifts too big to navigate via ATV's. So a new plan was needed. Plan #2A: Harvard, #2B Belford/Oxford, #2C Missouri. Hmmm which to pick? Harvard is my favorite for views, so that was my choice. Didn't matter that I had only just climbed it again the previous fall.

So we met up with Bill at a gas station along the way, and drove all the way up to the trailhead. Even though it was 4pm by now, we saddled up our backpacks for the necessary shortening of the approach to the peak. Just as we were getting ready to start, a group of 4 were coming down the trail to give us some beta on the trail snow conditions.

We carried our skis for a short distance up the trail, before there were calls for my boot post-holes to be larger (sorry I have small feet!), and that they be farther apart (again, sorry I'm short). Very soon after the bridge crossing, we put the skis on, disconcerted that the pertinent question of why the other group boot packed for a few miles up the trail. The snow must have been very solid earlier in the morning. We could have skinned most of the way from the trailhead as it was.

We had intermittent sun and snow as the day's storm was moving through the area. It made for some interesting views along the way, as well as comfortable temperatures. On the way up, there were a few bare patches here and there, but nothing too troubling with skins on. The longest bare stretch was on the other side of the 2nd bridge crossing, on the north side of the stream. This would also be the area where the most melting would occur the next day as well.

Along the way, there were a few interesting small stream crossings. One in which involved balancing on a small snow covered log. A stream splash disaster at any moment if you lost balance or grip. Only Lance opted to take the skis off and cross the easy way.

The gaping stream crossing over the snowy log

Our group made decent time up trail, but we were racing against the descending sun. Eventually we had to stop before the treeline meadow area, so we could set up tents before it was dark. Basecamp would be at 11,2K. I brought my Bibler Tripod bivy, and needed the extra light to figure out the pole placement. Haven't set this up in a couple years! Dinner, water and then to bed, it will be an early 4am start the next day.

Day 2: Winter wonderland of fresh untracked snow

I wake up at 3:29 to hear: Wake up or I'll start throwing snowballs! Amusingly, a few seconds later, my alarm clock goes off. Thankfully it was a reasonably warm night, and getting out of the bivy wasn't too hard. Unfortunately Caroline had a very bad night, didn't sleep and never got warm. She didn't like her odds for the day, and called the climb before ever leaving the tent. It was too bad, as she missed an amazingly beautiful day.

So Bill and I start skinning up the valley in the dark, following the previous days' skin track, until it veers off towards Columbia. After that, the upper basin was untracked, and we had to plow through the snow that had fallen from the storm over the last couple days. We traded off lead as we went up, watching the alpenglow illuminate the surrounding peaks. Yale took on a rosy glow and it stood out from the sky behind.

At one break point, Bill digs a pit to check out the layering of the recent snow. We find 3 layers that break apart like a deck of cards if tilted. So we knew to watch out for the second of the storm layers above. Thankfully, the higher we went, the more we lost the distinctive layering structure, and in some places the snow appeared mostly unconsolidated above the old dirty snow layer.

Following the skin track - Photo Credit: Bill

The downside to Harvard is that the main elevation gain comes at the very end. So it always feels like you're almost there. Up on the final hummock crest before ascending the ridge to the summit, we could get a good view of our descent couloir. It was the one just to the left of the rocky outcrop, and would stay out of the sun for the longest time. The slope angle would be ~32 degrees, so a reasonably safe descent option for our current snow pack.

Skinning up the final approach to the peak

Our descent couloir - in the shade - middle of photo

Pano of the valley - half way up Harvard

Always looking to learn new things, I decided to try Caroline's 5-hour energy drink. For me, it works quite well. I felt rather strong as I skinned up the ridge. I knew I had the energy to make the summit, I just hoped I had enough time before the snow warmed up too much. Bill on the other hand, was more interested in skiing the couloir, and decided to save his strength for that. So after turning on the radios and coming up with a plan for meeting up at the couloir, I make the final push for the summit.

I thought I would be able to skin all the way up to the last rocky pitch to the summit. No go. Just before the final stretch to the ridge crest, is a very icy wind scoured section, where my skins/edges got no purchase. So I swapped skis and skins, for crampons and ice axe. Much easier! Though once on the ridge crest, I had to post hole through the wind drift on top to make it to the rocks. From there it was an easy rock-snow-ice scramble to the summit.

Side view of my exit from the summit ridge

With Bill on the radio reminding me of the time, sun and warming snow, I race through my summit rituals. Spot OK message, photos, repack crampons and axe, skins off, click into skis, go! The transition was so rapid, my Spot never had time to send the first message. At least I had it on track before and after, and it happened to drop a point on the summit.

The snow is continuous off the summit, if you go slightly off to skiers left as you ski east on the ridge. Before the first ridge drop off, I turned back southwest to find the nice wide snowy exit off the summit ridge, that we had spied on the way up. It was go time!

I hugged the edge of the rocks as I curve to the southeast, skiers left, and meet up at the edge of the descent couloir. Bill was waiting on the far side, having dug a pit while waiting for me to make the summit.

Bill made quite a few tests of the snowpack, with hard cuts and big jump turns, but no failure. We didn't want to charge the couloir as the snow had warmed enough to send balls down as we skied. So we descended one at a time in a few hundred feet sections. This was fine with me, as I was still tired from the summit push, initial descent, and not a lot of rest in between. While the snow had warmed up and wasn't as light and fluffy as we would like it, the skiing was really enjoyable, as can be seen by the perm-a-grin on our faces.

Once we had finally gotten out of the couloir, we took skiers right down valley, and kept high in elevation as we went down. We didn't want to get trapped in the bowl, if there was a bump at the end. From there it was a pleasant sunny descent back down to treeline.

The only thing marring the untouched landscape was the littering of a Harvard law school flag along the trail. We didn't know if it might be a marker for a group camping later, so we left the flag where it was. Should have taken it, as we realized later it was no such marker. The group that planted it was in tennis shoes and post holed through our nice skin track.

The lower we got, the slushier the snow became. We knew this would happen. The pack out from camp was not anticipated to be easy. Weighted down, on slushy snow, hidden rocks, rocks newly exposed, melted out stream crossings, bare spots and the inevitable flat and uphill sections awaited. But after the amazing ski descent off the summit and down the couloir, spirits could not be damped too much. The skis came of a couple times, as certain areas just couldn't be crossed. Other bare spots were easier. But once at the final bridge, there was no more snow and the skis were carried back to the awaiting vehicles.

Climb: left, Ski: right

My Full Photo Album - Lots of scenery and ski shots!

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

EatinHardtack	Sweet 05/18/2010 20:53 Thanks for the tr and beta. I‘m looking at this for saturday! Thanks!
BostonBD	Premium Pictures !!!! 05/18/2010 20:57 Nice Job!
Presto	Perma Grin! 05/18/2010 22:09 You make me smile! What great photos ... my views through your two sets of eyes are fantastic. Thanks for posting. Happy trails!
Dancesatmoonrise	Thanks 05/18/2010 22:51 Enjoyed the TR and it‘s good to see how conditions look there right now. Looks like some fun turns, guys!
KeithK	Congratulations! 05/18/2010 23:15 That has to be your biggest line yet? You‘re having a pretty damn good year, since the fancy AT rig showed up... Bill, we‘ll see you on Friday? Caroline, so sorry to see that you weren‘t feeling well. Dammit, if you didn‘t have the curse of the younger achiever, you‘d be able to redeem yourself this weekend!
BillMiddlebrook	Friday? 05/18/2010 23:28 I still haven‘t figured out what I‘m doing later this week and weekend. I‘m trying to plan a 14er ski based on the forecast and an adequate overnight freeze.
lordhelmut	good snow 05/18/2010 23:35 seemed like everyone had good snow this weekend, cept for us. Harvard looks like a well earned summit, nice job grabbing this with what looked like prime conditions.
BillMiddlebrook	Ski 05/24/2010 13:12 USAKeller, comin2getcha and I made it back there yesterday for a great Harvard summit ski. With a very early start we had good snow on the descent. The trail out is getting a bit ugly since we skied it last weekend. Oh, and the Harvard Law flag was picked up and discarded!
USAKeller	Yeah, sorry I missed it! 05/25/2010 14:23 I can‘t wait for the TR!!!
BillMiddlebrook	Snow 11/30/2010 17:28 Yeah, it was good snow but warmed up in a serious hurry. Luckily, the Harvard south face gully has some shade in the morning. BTW, I've started to add the "South Face" route to the site. It's under construction, but I have the photos and maps out there... Route Description
USAKeller	Great TR Otina! 11/30/2010 17:28 And the pictures are gorgeous! Nice job again getting the summit ski!! That sleep felt good . And I'm glad the 5-hour energy drink worked!! I'm curious what the Extra strength one will do for you. We're headed back up there today to snag it. Yes, we do need to get a peak in together this season! Keith - I know, graduation falls early this year. When I graduated it was beginning of June!
BillMiddlebrook	Well done! 02/05/2011 00:22 Thanks for a great day! Congrats on getting the summit ski and I hope many more are in your future. I'm sure some other 14er skiers might think I was crazy for bailing on the last 400'. No biggie, I'll get my Harvard "summit" ski some other day. But it was super cool you got the summit. Way to persevere. Those sleepy-heads didn't know what they were missing! Yes, we blew it by not picking up that Harvard Law School flag that they planted at 11,800', along the west side of Columbia. I just couldn't accept that someone would have left that there for absolutely no reason. I wonder if they told their buddies they planted it on TOP of Harvard?

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