Chuting Hiatus Postponed

It has been a long time since stable conditions found themselves in the Wasatch (I think for the most part they've lingered around Alaska and below 8000 ft it can't avalanche if there's no snow to do so). This weekend saw a big change in that picture with lines getting tags on all four faces. So I took my fair share of the bounty and tried to steal a few here and there.

Steep, stable, untracked, and creamy POW

Another beauty and look it has got walls!

Going back for more!

Ending the day with a trip down Day's Headwall. I wish I had some action shots...but I have no friends.

132, 117, 74 and My Toes Hurt

132, 117, and 74 those are the underfoot's of the 3 skis currently part of my arsenal. Needless to say the broad peaks (74's) aren't exactly "broad" personally I think they should be called Dynafit Skinny Peaks.

Needless to say going from a 117 underfoot to a 74 underfoot means some adjustments need to be made when travelling downhill especially in a foot of powder. Leaning back keeps you afloat and also jams your toes into your newly, not fully packed out, a little small, but damn light Scarpa Aliens. So at the end of a 9 mile tour on Saturday I was feeling "some" discomfort.

Way Up in White Pine

A OK doing his best rendition of Kilian Jornet

The Mighty Pfeif

Scoring some "Toe Hurting" pow (Picture by Adam O'Keefe)

Me doing my best impression of...well someone very color coordinated and someone slow (Picture by Adam O'Keefe)

A OK scoring some spring POW

Adam slaying it

"Come on no blood, no blood, no blood" (Picture by Adam O'Keefe)

Better Put on Your Snorkel

2 inches or 2 feet skiing is still skiing well kind of, yesterday was definitely a dust on crust type of day. Lots of exposure out there; that's what a few days of fusion will do for you (that's a science joke by the way). 

The aliens performed well though.

What Happened?

It's a pretty simple question what happened to winter? Every month has began with "this is the month" but it never really was. Any snow came with a price, an infinite number of non-bonding weak layers which could break down at  moments notice.
So...forgive the recent lack of posts; a result of a number of things

1: I've started training for the Speedgoat 50K

2: There was a brief (I'll highlight that BRIEF) period of epic snow and I got so excited I forgot the camera

3: There has been a long period of well non epic snow and...refer to point 1.

And that's all I got.

Oh yeah and the climbing been good too (Rappelling into the Parley's Canyon crag)

Days fork death trap

I had a brilliant idea to complete a south facing Big 5, ski Emma's ridge (roughly top to bottom), Flagstaff (top to bottom), Toledo, Cardiff and finish with some form of Superior. After a half day's work I got the call that Adam was down for whatever, his tenacity to stick to the plan however, didn't last for long. After making our way up a half powder half mank south face to start our list his desire to ski more fluffy snow set in and as any good partner does I restrained my ("Let's do this just to do it" ideals and went along with it.) So we dropped into Day's and the big 5 was just a memory. Next time.

A OK skinning up Emma's

Still going

So we skied nice powder into Day's and couldn't resist the temptation of doing just "one more here and one more there."

Stupid skiing (I know) but this little gully was just begging for it, also begging to avalanche on me.

A valuable lesson that should always be carried when skiing is don't get tired, when you get tired you get lazy and when you get lazy you get hurt. With a snowpack that is pretty much moderate with pockets of Death we shouldn't have been lazy on our way out (lesson learned). But we (well Adam) made a skinner right out of days (a good idea at first especially since I didn't have to break trail) which is usually the way most people go. Unfortunately, with the year's snow this was a big mistake we dodged a bullet here and got out alive but and adventure nonetheless.

A OK trying not to die

 

A personal favorite of the year.

Flagstaff Peak

As much as I don't want to say it, being Feb. 14 and all, today was probably one of the best days of the season. Powder, deep, steep, cornice hucks, the whole 9 yards or in our case around 2000 ft. This morning I was able to hit up Flagstaff in a true dawn patrol fashion (meaning there was new snow on the ground) and I pray that the snow gods keep it coming. I even caught myself saying "maybe I just won't go to work today" (ha I wish). That negates the statement I made on Saturday when the thermo hit 55 and I said "hey this is prime running weather I hope it stay's" (sounds like blasphemy to me). Needless to say, the snow was nice and I want more.

 

Some fools on the skinnner

Alas POWDER!!!

Time for work? Insert sad face.

Brothers

Got to spend some good powder days with brother Brian this past week. Immediately after he was off the plane he was on the mountain (no time to waste when there's fresh pow to farm). So we went up to Little Pine Col. (sorry no pics for this). Followed by a day on Pink Pine, Butler Fork, and a 16 mile run through Zion National Park. Not too shabby for a 5 day vacation. Oh yeah and the park rangers thought we were crazy (silly park rangers).

Brian skinning up to the ridge

Chesy rippin'

S-L-A-Y-I-N-G POW

Can't get a picture like this in Baltimore.