Glacier Country

Since I don't have a job right now and have been getting out skiing in the mountains in Montanas Flathead and Glacier Park areas, I figure why not start doing some blogging to kill some time and show off the new terrain we have been exploring. 

Its been a week since the remaining skier boyz and snowboarder girl went back to the Wasatch. That left Gae and I feeling pretty lonesome in a new town where the only people we know are each other and our roommate, Lisa.  On Gaelens first day off, we went touring with each other. It didn't take long for us to realize that we have just made a great move and are incredibly lucky to be living in such a beautiful area. The mountains surrounding us in Glacier National Park are breath taking and the options where to go are endless.

I had been out on a handful of tours, seeing jaw dropping lines on gigantic mountains, but a summit had been eluding me. I had skinned thousands of vertical feet feeling satisfied with our efforts and decisions, but I wanted to stand on top. This finally happened last week! I went out with my new buddy and solid skier Dan Koestler and we went for Sheep Mt (8569 ft) in the southern part of Glacier Park.

Dan enjoying the sunrise and the mellow skinning 

Leaving our car at 7 a.m., we skinned along the train tracks for about half a mile, having the frightening experience of how close those suckers get, then scooted up the trailhead for three miles. Half of which we could rip skins and ski down the trail.

Soldier Mt. in the Background

From the Ole Creek we crossed easily and began the long climb, 4500 feet to the summit of Sheep mt. The weather was perfect, calm and clear and the sun was beginning to brighten the horizon. The skinning was straight forward and easy, we actually followed a track someone broke sometime last week.

High winds on summit ridge

When we got above the trees, around 7500 feet, the winds we trying to rip right through our gore tex, but the summit was in sight. We added some layers, put on our helmets and goggles and pushed forward. I had to stop before reaching the summit because the wind was piercing through my gapper gap and I got a alpine ice cream headache.

Kid is psyched to get on top a summit

It was all worth the cold effort to stand on top of this summit in Glacier Park. The 360 degrees views from the summit highlighted some potential for mega ski descents. All I can say is you Boyz better be visiting. We decided that we would drop down the west ridge because it looked like more exciting ski options. We didn't know and that was cool. We knew that it was going to bring us into the same drainage we began climbing and that was enough assurance.

Dan descending the west ridge with St. Nick and Stimson in the background
It felt like skiing off the summit of Mt Hood

The conditions off the summit were firm and smooth, good for big mountain descents. We did a little walking over a scoured section and onto a saddle where some softer snow was found.

Looking back up at our ascent (right ridge) and descent route (west ridge)

Dan Skiing through the lower cliff section

good exposure here

We found a way through the lower section of cliffs
The adventure of skiing into the unknown

The best part of skiing new terrain is the unknown you got below you. Our mellow descent route began to steepen and it was obvious we were skiing above some big cliffs. WIth confidence Dan continued down and found his way through a cool amphitheater of cliffs. This took us to an open bowl, 2,00o feet of low angle cream in the trees and we landed on a trail. I couldn't believe we nailed the loop so perfectly.

I guess I will get used to seeing this sight when touring in the Park

Gaelens first time ice climbing
Lake Koocanusa

= Jakems

New Beginings

I think of last year beginning with the end of a friends life. I was shocked and didn't want to believe it when it was told to me over the phone.  "Adam died in an avalanche in B.C.", Todd's cellular voice echoed. I had never dealt with this kind of news before. It was hard to comprehend that my friends had found tragedy where we usually find rewards.  Up until this accident Adam Lawton floated through life, capitalizing on every opportunity to share a moment and laugh with friends in the mountains, knowing it was going to be a great story to tell to his friends who missed it. In hindsight, Adam lived like he was going to die when he was 30. Except for his fate, it is a proud way to live.

Adam Lawton waits for perfect corn harvesting conditions early in the a.m on Mt Adams (2008)

A whiteout ski tour on Lone Peak S face (2010)

Wasatch Mountains

Since Adam's death in an avalanche outside Kicking Horse Resort in Golden B.C. my life in 2012 had a kick start: I wanted to live a Proud life. I wanted to do the things that make me who I am, as much as I possibly could. The day after I heard Adam was no longer going to instigate jokes or set the booter to the summit, I wasn't searching for answers to why it happened, I went surfing. 

Winter surf in Glouchester, MA

The kick start I experienced last January gave me a charge that made me want to get after it for my friend who no longer can. This charge radiated me to quit my job where I worked with Adam and our close friends for three years, three times! This charge got me to complete a college degree that began in 2000. This charge got me to take advantage of a healthy mind and body. Since last January I have been an elusive being, some would say. Checking in with my parents at best once a week, they frequently asked "what state are you in?" or even, "what country?". They weren't worried about me, they just wanted to hear what climb I had just accomplished or how good the skiing was in Utah? Wyoming? Montana? N.H.? Oh yeah- I forgot to mention I moved back east to MA twice last year. 

On the Ice Coast I traded my skis for skates
Chochura Lake, NH

Just kidding! I got back to my backcountry routes and toured on x country ski trails in the Whites
This pic is at the bottom of Tuckermans in January

2012 was a memorable year for me! For good and for bad. I didn't work much and I played a lot because that is what I wanted to do. During the 360 days of 2012, I have guessed that I backcountry skied over 75 days, Rock climbed over 100 days and went surfing 30 days! It was an active year, to say the least.

Gaelen, who worked just a little more than me last year, cruising up the Mega classic- Orbit on the Snowcreek Wall in Leavanworth, WA

Its hard to comprehend that Adam has been dead for over a year now. We talk about him enough to think that he was standing over our shoulders listening and laughing with us. The end of 2012 brought about an opportunity for me to go back to where Adams spirit floated away and have some closure with the Skier Boyz, in good style.  

The bowl in the center is where the avalanche that killed Adam was triggered
Matt Slody miraculously stayed on top 

As a memorial we screwed a framed picture of Adam into a tree next to the skinner that takes you to the top of the Dogtooth Ridge. Laughs and tears were shared when we joked that we need to bring some girls up here to hang their bras and panties on it. Adam is gonna love it!
After a day in Golden, B.C. we headed up towards Rogers Pass to fly out to the Fairy Meadow Lodge, deep in the Selkirk Mts. This is the trip that was cancelled a year ago after the tragedy at Kicking Horse. Adam was supposed to go. The Skier Boyz promised a year ago that they would return and ski those mountains for Adam, the way he would have loved to. Everyone who was in from last year was able to get reimbursed for this years trip and a few other Boyz decided to get involved in the celebration. Me, having not worked much in the past year did not have the funds to take such a exclusive trip and was not planning on going.  Then it was offered to me that I could take the place of Adam, on his dime. I was honored to ski for Adam. Thanks Skier Boyz for sucking that one up. You made a small time ski bum's dream come true!

The Beatties and Crossman with the Chalet in the background, getting ready for a cold day in the Selkirks
Doubletop Mt in the background

10 Skier Boyz took over the Fairy Meadow Lodge for 7 days. It only took two Heli rides to get all of our gear into the backcountry. There wasn't much for visibility the day we flew in and it only got worse for the next 5 days. By worse I mean real good, we received over three feet of about 3 percent powder lending to remarkably deep runs. We sussed out the close by ridges for pillow lines that we have only dreamt of skiing until this trip. It wasn't until the final two days of our trip that we saw the tops of the surrounding peaks.

Jay Welz bouncing on some soft pillows down the Nose

Steep Pillow lines in Mario Land
Tom Murphy finds a warp tunnel

Crossman doing his best impersonation of a snow ghost
Ya-Whoo!
He's definitely not dropping his hip

"Where am I?
Its too deep!
It doesn't matter."
-Stefan Beattie

"shut up and bite this pillow, skis"
-Uncle Keith
the Prez

After pounding the terrain in the low lands we desperately wanted to step on the glaciers above and maybe ski off a summit. We had one day of grey bird where we skied by brail from the friendship col followed by a brilliant blue bird day where the views were open for miles. On this day we climbed to the Friendship col by sunrise and began sumitting all of the peaks reachable from the Echo Glacier. Mt Phileas, Mt Damon, Sentinel Peak and Pioneer Peak all were climbed. We carved in some huge archs and we made some wiggles, too.

Murphy and Crossman moving past the Magog and up Friendship col thankful for a sun blessing, Finally!
"That was a good skinner up here, eh? We should buy those guys a Kokanee"

  

Skier Boy Ridge on Sentinel Peak

Gramps dropping in and making one of a couple hundred turns down the ridge of Sentinel Peak.

Todd Glew at the bottom of those couple hundred turns.
5 Skier Boyz actually skied the gnarly SE face behind. It was cool to watch and scary.

Skinning as a rope team across the Echo Glacier.
Looks like some good rock climbing up here.

Steve summiting Matt Damon for the third time in two days.
I guess the skiing was good up there?

A quote that is now a sticker in Adams memory, "this is what we do" has become one of the many mantras I use while in the mountains, it reminds me to enjoy each glide on the skin track. Going to places like Fairy Meadow is not what we usually do, but we did this year and it was a successful and memorable trip of a lifetime.  

After entering back into the states, it hit me that I was not going back to the Wasatch to shred some lines with my Boyz. I am staying in Montana, my new home for the meantime with Gaelen. We don't know the mountains here, I don't have partners in my back pocket here and at this point in my life, that feels good! I am ready for some new adventures that are going to take a little more effort to remind me that I am alive.

The Skier Boyz love Canada, eh!

-Kid Bufo hucks with Whippet Jakems

Pfeiffer-Porn

Last week there were compass-wide green light conditions in the Northern Wasatch.  For many this meant the free rain to ski any and everything.  With a closing weather window and a single day to burn, the Lizard and I made a break for a much sought after climb that had been in our black book for some time.  The North Ridge of the Pfeiferhorn offers up about 1000 feet of moderate 5.fun climbing.  Linking it up with the Northwest Couloir makes for a well rounded day of ski mountaineering in Was-Angeles.  

The crux of the day comes at 6:30am.  Living in Alta without a car is a double-edged battle axe, covered in the blood of a thousand beaters.  You’re spitting distance from one of North America’s most classic ski descents, and skin tracks shoot out in nearly every possible direction leading to numerous untracked pockets of Utah’s legendary pow, but the easy access of White Pine trailhead, Mineral Fork in Big Cottonwood, or the playgrounds of the Provo mountains all seem an eternity away.  Considering our options, which included borrowing car’s do drive the roughly 3 miles, we opted to add the approach to the trailhead into the adventure, nothing new for you other car-free folks out there.  Leaving Alta’s base we weaved our way down cat tracks and between condo’s.  Taking off the skis to walk a couple of times and eventually  just shredding the plow bank from Snowbird’s entry 1 down to the TH.

Elated with our resourcefulness and stoked for the amazing power of skis as transportation we arrived at the trailhead with only two other cars present.  How bout a new bumper sticker, Share the Road, but with picture of a skier?  Anyhow our stoke quickly gave way to silence as the miles-long, thousands of vertical feet approach ensued.  But we made good time, passing the only other party on the skin-track (also headed for the Pfeiff by way of the SE Ridge), and getting up to upper Maybird in a few short hours.  Decision time. 

Hoping to move fast and make it back to the trailhead in time to catch a ride back up-canyon before dark, we opted to by-pass the first, and what looked to be the most difficult climbing, portion of the ridge.  The North Ridge Chute offered a steep shortcut to this first obstacle.  Skinning gave way to booting which gave way to wallowing in near-vertical sugary-facets, definitely the most insecure climbing of the day.  I gained the ridge and threw an appreciative Lizard the rope. 

Skinning up the North Chute.   Liz wallowing her way up some vertical sugar.

Once we were both on the ridge proper the real climbing began.  Liz took the first lead, which turned into a solid block of simul-climbing. 

Liz on stone and in the zone.

We swung leads a few times, climbing till we ran out of gear or just felt like high-fiving.  Whichever came first.  The climbing was moderate for having skis on our backs, and overall quite pleasurable, with mostly quality granite, a few sections of loose or friable rock, and some exceptional exposure, setting, and aesthetics. 

Heading up towards the "lightning-bolt" crack, where we found some of the more exposed and challenging climbing on the route.

Front pointing to glory!

We gained the summit, snacked fast, and made for a quick turnaround. 

Obligatory Summit Photo.

The NW couloir had already been skied by a few parties, by the look of it,  so we were able to check out the other tracks and suss out the best way in.  Although it looked as if some folks had skied, downclimbed, or rapped in from the shoulder of the North Ridge, we opted for rapp in directly from the summit.  A full length dropped us off with just enough room to get our skis on and make a few turns before we were at the choke. 

 

Liz on the first Rappel. 

Another full length rapp landed us on snow once again, after which we enjoyed making some relatively low-stress turns, without relative exposure for the first time in the last few hours. 

Liz sending it below the choke.    Getting Smaller.

After we exited the couloir we b-lined it for the Red Pine drainage and the trailhead below.  We managed to keep a good pace and make good time all day, with plenty of daylight left  before we made it to the trailhead, even finding some quality turns on our way back out. 

More turns below the choke.

Amphitheater of Stone.

Not much traffic heading back up the canyon after 4pm on a weekend, but lucky for us the bus driver was feeling nice and actually swerved to pull over and picked us up right from the trailhead, unexpected treats like that can really make your day. 

It’s day’s like this that really set the rest apart, and make me recall a Thanksgiving prayer my uncle used to recite often.

Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub.  Yeeeaaaaaaayyyyyy GOD!

~Shagnasty

White Pine the Hard Way

So far this season lots of work has made for few days of ski touring.  But as I adjust to a routine of working in the resort and less scrambling in the mountains,  I've been adequately compensated with many deep turns, as Northern Utah is off to a great start to the winter.  Last week alone, I was lucky enough to open up the Patsy booter, twice, taking some extended work laps from the Supreme top shack.  Once I was even smart enough to bring my skins and touring setup, but some deep-seated inner urge compelled me to thrash, hip deep, leaving a vertical boot pack straight up the Tuscarora Ridge.

This past weekend I was able to get out on my first extended tour, and with thousands of acres of quality powder to choose from, again, some masochistic urge compelled me to make a day that would be heavily lop sided in the hike-to-turn ratio.

A Cloudy 'Merkin Fork.

With a day to burn and an insatiable appetite to hike, The Lizard and I agreed that the solitude of the upper reaches of American Fork Canyon would do good to clear our minds and harden our legs for the months of hiking ahead.  So with an alpine start we caught the 100th chair of world-famous Collins lift, Ski-linking to the nearby Sugarloaf/USA-Snowbird Interconnect Dick Bass Memorial RFID Scan station.  After securing the proper paperwork and undergoing a full body scan, we were granted permission to pass through the knee-bashing gates of hell and slide our way into the upper reaches of Mineral Basin.

Once past the chairlift and out of the ski area boundary our adventure began.  Snowmobile tours are in effect, so as Liz and I glided and skated our way out the first bit cat-track, a skier-cross vs snowmachine race ensued, with Liz and I coming out well ahead.  After a few miles the grade eased and we found ourselves skating and polling more then gliding.  With thick trees and a low cloud cover, it was tough to identify how many drainages we'd passed, but breaks through the haze showed us that Timp and Box Elder appeared closer than before and we agreed that it might be time to turn right and start hiking.

Mining roads make for good skin tracks.

Although it was a cold morning in Alta, we'd lost so much altitude that we found ourselves shedding more and more layers as we climbed, skinning through the thinner snowpack south of LCC.  Hoping for some views to help us figure out exactly where we were, we continued on, higher and higher.  Summiting our first hill, views were scarce but we had enough to figure we were somewhere west of Mary Ellen Gulch.

 

Approaching the Twins.

Continuing on we gained the next ridge and the clouds began to break.  The landscape around us opened up and the views were stunning.  Ahead lay American Fork Twin East, and some tempting steep coloirs fell away to our right.  After summiting both of the American Fork Twin's, we made our way to the White Pine divide, where we finished the rest of our food and water and prepared for our descent to the valley below.

Lizards love snow.

With multiple storms of light density snow and little wind, it was surprising to find our only skiing of the day with a challenging wind crust.  But we struggled through it and as we continued to lose altitude, the snow got softer and the turning easier.  Before we reached White Pine Lake we hung another right and made to find a skin track that would afford us some easy gliding back towards the trailhead.  The light was fading but we paused to take in some of the beautiful sunset over SLC, a thick inversion made sure that the city was invisable, making our wilderness experience all the more complete.  In fact, after leaving Snowbird and passing a party of 5 snow-machiners, we encountered and heard no one until looking down from the Twins into Snowbird, and didn't even really see anyone except for passing a lone skier making his way back to the trailhead.  Not to bad for a day of hiking in Was Angeles.

 

Reasons to return.

The day ended up being great, giving the legs a stretch and reminding me why I love to explore and giving me plenty of reason to return to the Mary Ellen/Major Evans area, although I'd have to say that hiking up from 210 is prrobably the easier option.  

 

As a side note we didn't partake in the mass-Sugarhousing of Mt. Superior late last week, in which nearly a third of SLC appeared to have skied its south face.  We did, however, manage to motivate New Year's Day and claim some good turns on what was most likely her first descent of the new year.  Sorry, no pictures from that as the wind was pounding enough to make the ridge walking pretty miserable.

Happy new year boyz!  Lets make it a good 'un.

~ Shagnasty

December in AK: Deep Winter

The are 5 seasons in Alaska, and we are currently in Deep Winter which is oft confused with Regular Winter, but they are quite different. Deep Winter is eeriely similar to beyond the wall in the "Game of Thrones". Deep Winter has a unique mood and feel that makes one long for the salad days of Regular Winter. Deep Winter grabs hold in mid-November and hangs on until the merciful release into Regular Winter in late January. 

Tommorow marks the celestial mid-point of Deep Winter. The sun will rise at 10:14 AM and set at 3:41 PM for about 5.5 hours of daylight, but this is misleading.  The real kicker is that the sun only gets 23° above the horizon. When the sun is up, it is low in the sky and produces similar intensity as you'd expect just after dawn. Sure, it's nice, but it does not warm. During the brief daylight hours, the city is covered in perpetual long shadows cast by buildings. Entire neighborhoods and some towns (Girdwood) receive no direct light for months.

Our pathetic Northern star leaves the streets covered in ice and packed snow; there just isn't the oomph to kick start any melting. Overnight frosts stay on parked cars day after day, just getting thicker and thicker. Deep Winter brings the coldest temperatures of the year. This week's low at my place was -17°F.  This morning's temp was +14°F for my ride into work and I swear I could feel the warmth in the air, that is until the wind kicked up. 

Hunk of Junk Pathetic Excuse for a Star

It is truly a relief when Deep Winter finally yields to Regular Winter.  The sun regains its ability to warm. Icicles begin to form on trees. Snow begins to melt off of parked cars and the glazed roads slowly give way to pavement. February brings those pleasant winter days that I loved so much growing up in New England and bumming at Alta.  Full days of skiing in the sun, a sun that will warm your face as sit down and actually relax on a ridge.  The sun that warms the late afternoon air and makes for a pleasent transition into driving clothes after a day in the backcountry. In just a few short months I will be able to leisurely sip a beer at the trailhead with the car doors open and the radio blasting while my ski boots effortlessly slip off.

This winter has been tougher than most.  Long stretches of below zero weather coupled with a serious lack of snow have made motivation a rare commodity. The weather pattern so far has been the perfect advertisement for Fat Bikes. Cold temps and scarce snow have at least doubled the moutain bike terrain around Anchorage. Swamps and lakes are now set up perfectly for this method of travel. Muddy trails are frozen solid and the bears are asleep.

The Noodler on the Middle Fork Loop
(photo by Eric)

On the Sunny Side of Campbell Creek Canyon
(photo by Eric)

There is more snow at Turnagain and Hatcher Pass but the long stretches of cold and clear have made for uninspiring alpine skiing. It is always fun to get out and tour around, but it currently leaves much to be desired. The highlight for recent outings is finding a nice aerie in the sun and basking in the sun's faded glory.

Snow Beach

Home runs back to the car are always after sunset. The vehicle is frozen solid and it fights the starter. You wrestle your frozen, stiff boots off your cold sweaty feet and quickly take shelter in the car.  The heater blasts an icy wind. You put on your "car-puffy" and shiver and as you choke down your almost-frozen "celebratory" beer and relive the day's highlights.

Sorry, Taco, but we're driving now despite your cold oil and stiff clutch.

So far its been the winter for ice climbers, fat-bikers, and skaters. Although these activities are super fun diversions, they are just that: diversions.  Diversions until a weather change can facilitate my passion. The weather change will come, sooner or later and until then I will find distractions wherever I can.

 - U.K.