Spring on the west slabs

Andy Dorais and I had a splendid solo up the West Slabs of Olympus today.  The main couloir still boasting a good deal of snow was a bit too firm for just approach/running shoes. Not having an ice axe, we each kicked quick steps while carrying a sharp piece of quartzite instead.

Upon reaching the rock, the slabs were wonderful as always. Although, they felt steeper and more blank than normal. Signs of old age. Not wanting to slide for life down the snow couloir we chose a detour from the top of the slabs and traversed up to the north summit and then over to the south summit of Olympus. We didn't take pictures but should have. I did actually sneak one in here of Andy talking with what seemed to be kind of a bearded hermit that graciously offered us dried almonds;  asking us if there was a safer way down than the usual trail. We weren't sure what to say. He was a nice man, obviously content to stare at the view as shown below.

Andy! Olympus south summit

Dromedary via Tanner's Slide Path

 Toady, 7:53 AM  nice view of Sunrise and Twins from Dromedary summit

This morning's forecast called for 54% cloud cover with a 40% chance of showers by 11 AM. Upon waking up and seeing sub 29 degree temps at Alta mid mountain, a clear sky morning and a waning moon, plans changed from a more casual tour to skiing somewhere with a little more alpine feel and vertical. Needless to say, the weather folks were wrong. Scott, Eric and I started at 6 AM at the Tanner's slide path in hopes of getting some long turns off one of the more photogenic south faces of the Wasatch.

Dawn was beautiful with a silent rising of the sun over the great east faces welcoming the smiles of our gazes. Both skinning and booting, we moved up the lower Tanner's slide path couloir amidst aged avalanche debris and then along the broad south face. I chose a direct couloir up to the summit which required some interesting 4th/5th class climbing with my TLT boots; then some outstanding steep hard snow making whippet and ice tool use effective and fun.

On top of Dromedary the wind was absent, the morning sun was trying to get serious and the 360 degree views were spectacular. I looked down broads and over to Twin to see if I could see Blake and Chad B. who had some great plans to ski off Twin's west side. Awesome time for sure.

Brisk front pointing down the direct south face of Dromedary and then into the main couloir was enjoyable. We skied from here on down, each of us enjoying ice, corn snow and frozen avalanche debris.

Morning family duties called so we didn't have time to really let the sun work the top couple inches to create perfect conditions, however the adventure was still excellent.

Massive south face Sunrise left and Dromedary right

Top and interesting spring knife edge

Self photo- me and my trusty Hagans

Coalpit headwall and Lone Peak's east aspect

Eric and Scott, focused on a down climb with a back drop of heaven

Scott bottom of main upper couloir

Remnants of an old wet slide and Scott in perfect form, thinking he is skiing powder

Lone Peak Northeast Couloir

Lone Peak- Northeast Couloir (directly below north summit- photo taken 2011)

The last sentence in Alexandre Dumas' infamous tale of the Count of Monte Cristo states simply "wait and hope." I, like others have gazed at the northeastern aspect of Lone Peak for a long long time. Lone Peak is a most fascinating mountain, seasoned with near vertical walls creating a west facing almost holy cathedral, rugged and exposed north ridge and an exceedingly steep northeast face with two prominent groves defining the wrinkles in its complexion.  These couloirs are relief points, deposit zones for the mountain. The northeast couloir (looker's right), for me like for others has been a claim I have hoped to stake. It is very steep, aesthetic, long and in one of the greatest regions of the Central Wasatch Range.  Simply put however, timing is everything.

In watching the weather closely, it seemed this past Monday that the week's forecast was brewing up the perfect recipe for a visit to the couloir later in the week. It couldn't have worked out better as each day up til' Friday, temps were cold at night and then warming during the day, creating perhaps the first real corn snow of the season. Storms had ended the previous Saturday.  Jared Inouye, Bill Demong (yes the Olympic Gold medalist Billy Demong-- it was great to be with him!), Scott Wetzel and I set out at 6 AM Friday April 26th up Big Willow. In fairly short order we found hard unbreakable spring snow on which we skinned all the way into the cirque and then up the headwall on variable winter like conditions. We topped out with some excellent rock scrambling on frozen granite. At around 9:50 AM, as we neared Lone's summit the south west aspects were frozen. However on the knife ridge just above the northeast couloir, with a few taps from the ice axe, we knew we had hit the jackpot. The corn had developed on the northeast exactly as we'd hoped. We were concerned though about the heating of the snow and the warm temperatures that had quickly developed. We needed to make haste.

Our choice of entry was to drop directly into the line just a few feet to the north of Lone's true summit.  As I peered down the top section, what remained below was hidden by the precipitous head wall basically dropping away into the abyss. As I put on my skis, I thought of Jared as he was watching me, "well he was right again, it is crazy steep." The first 100 feet or so were sustained; however upon skiing and some slipping down over the head wall above a small cliff band it steepened even further!  Fortunate for us though the corn snow was perfect allowing cautious turns to be taken, providing for creamy edging. It was exhilarating, making us all feel so alive.  I said to myself while making turns, "sometimes, good things do come to those who wait." The timing was perfect. Skirting skier's right past the cliff band, the chute proper began and it skied perfectly all the way down the choke. At the bottom of the choke we skirted above the bottom cliff band to the right and then into an elegant apron set perfectly for some of the best skiing we'd had all year. The ski out of Bell's couldn't have been better as we put on the trail shoes near the lower falls of Bells and happily cruised down the trail. The sun was casting its yellow silent glory down upon us, as the mountains graciously once again gave us way, allowing another excellent adventure to be cast in our memories forever. It was Bill's, Scott's and my first time skiing the NE couloir and it lived up to every expectation we had and then some!

--A note, Jared's boot buckle broke on the knife ridge above the couloir. Regardless, Jared made Samurai like perfect turns down the super steep line.

Big Willow headwall

Top of Big Willow Headwall- Other Wasatch emeralds in backdrop

Jared and Bill

Summit Ridge. Bill and Scott and a huge valley below

Top section- Entering the Abyss

A look up the headwall

Approaching the choke

Billy Demong, charging the choke, cliff band far below

The endless apron and Big Horn in the background right

Happy Scott and Bill- Lone looming above

Big Horn and Lone on right, upper Bell's Canyon- the exit

Spring has Sprung

With the Wasatch Powderkeg now over and the rando racing in the Wasatch having concluded, my motivation to get out and ski has been dimming a bit. I don't know why, as racing is just a means to  feeling good while touring. Yesterday was one of those mornings though. I chalk it as one of the best quality snow mornings I've skied this year. Scott W. and I sought lower angles in incredible Utah snow. We stayed due north facing given the massive amounts of new snow and heavy wind loading on east through south aspects of the compass.  We were rewarded and home by 9 AM, ready to start yet another busy family Saturday.  Spring is on the right track it seems.

Scott W

Me- Courtesy Scott Wetzel

Scott

Cody Walker- Local Hero

Cody Walker  Courtesy Lori Walker

I remember some 15 years ago skiing on old Black Diamond Eclipse tele skis one late Spring afternoon on High Rustler, Alta, Utah. The day was beautiful, slushy snow, clear blue skies and great company. The mountains were full of energy that day charging both Cody and I as we shared turns down the northwesterly face. Cody has always been a snowboarder; a snowboarder that loves the alpine air and freedom that only the hills provide. He was all but family, always hanging around with his friend Lori, my sister in law. A few years later he would marry Lori and today share two wonderful kids together, with one on the way. Cody is the epitome of quiet mastery.  He silently smiles in all of his life's activities, even as a pharmacist in a white coat in the same room everyday. He is gentle but intensely in love with life.

Powder skiing is more than just skiing. It is a chance for each of us to make our own mark on a mountain covered in white. It affords us the opportunity to look down with excitement while just moments later to turn around and check our turns each and every inch of the way. Life has a way of providing the same thing, although some of the turns can be much less enjoyable.  Last Friday, my friend, brother in the family and example of fortitude and patience, Cody Walker took one of those turns.

Snowboarding with his close friends in Northstar at Tahoe, Cody while coming into a landing from off a jump he had already hit several times, lit in such a way that he broke his pelvis in four places on each side. If that weren't enough. He didn't even feel the pelvis fracturing because he whiplashed crushing the vertebrae in his neck causing him to lose all feeling and movement of his body.

After a lengthy neck surgery fusing verterbrae, and two pelvic surgeries Cody lies on his back in a Reno Hospital, with his sweetheart by his side, reliving in his mind the accident, his life and love for everything in it. Cody will recover. It will take time, prayers, effort from us all but he will. The trials he faces are foreign to me. But if there is one thing I know about Cody, it is the fact that of anyone who has faced challenges in life, Cody knows how to suffer through it and with that special smile will accomplish his goal.

Like doing laps on a great powder day, someone has to break trail setting the skin track up. Cody will do just that as he now focuses on the challenging climb back. Only this time he'll be skiing! Our prayers and thoughts are with you and your little family my friend!

Cody's good friend put a website up where folks can go, learn more about his recovery and provide support. Aren't friends wonderful? Here's the link. https://www.supportcody.com/
Here's a story on his accident as well. http://www.ksl.com/?sid=24319071&nid=1010

Cody Walker Courtesy Lori Walker

 

The Y Couloir- Mogul Tour

This morning I took some time off work and met Jared Inouye at a humane hour for a quick ascent up what has apparently become a popular line.  The Y Couloir has always held its mystery even for those of us that have skied it. There is something about the way it rises 3,500 vertical into the heavens from the floor of the canyon.

Y Couloir Dead Center (Taken from South Ridge East Twin in 2011)

Upon arriving in the chute proper we were amazed at how tracked out it was.  I asked Jared "are those moguls?" He concurred they definitely were a species of moguls. We moved up the booter which came and went due to spin drift filling the holes in. Nearing the top the booter was nearly absent. About 100 feet from the very top, we tested a wind pillow which quickly sheered about 9 or so inches in depth and around 15 feet wide. The northwesterly winds had drifted snow on the top, making the conditions more dangerous than we wanted to be in. That was enough; we stopped,  turned around and skied down, variable powder, crud, ice, and yes unfortunately something like moguls. It made for some fun on race skis for sure.

My photos were taken with my 9 year old's camera which is usually used for snapping shots of Lego figurines fighting in his pretend battle ground....

Jared moving through a choke in the Y

 Jared in a faded picture I tried to enhance color wise. Up another choke in the Y

Kessler- Catcher's Mitt

Kessler can be a wild card. Slides can be tremendous on all aspects; when timed right however the skiing can be phenomenal. Early this morning, Eric Badger, Blake Fredrickson and I amidst chalking morning skies and dying headlamps ascended the standard Argenta slide path to the top of Kessler. Much to my wonderful surprise we ran into Jake Tauscht on top! I hadn't seen him since our Cathedral Traverse trip in August. Once again he had that wild grin and excitement to be in the mountains.  We chose to descend the Catcher's Mitt, enjoying one pain filled powder turn after another.

Blake entering the top of the Catcher's Mitt

Other than racing against him, I had never skied with Blake on a "tour." It was great! He loves the mountains, is filled with energy charged by the electrical atmosphere of the alpine. Much like Eric! I look forward to many more equally great mountain adventures with him. Unfortunately I haven't replaced my lost camera. This shot is the best I could do this time.