Rockchuck and Paintbrush Divide

The Southwest Couloir on Mount Moran, taken from Paintbrush Divide.

Mount Thor and Mount Moran

Teewinot

Peter finishing the race he started.

Davey climbing the last pitch of our sub-summit of Rockchuck.  With heavy clouds rolling in, we decided to cut our trip short and settle for a sub-summit.  It still had a summit-like feel, and was a beautiful place to hang out for a few minutes before we started down.

The run was long and very smooth so we were surprised at how fun the skiing was.  When we got back to the car and looked up to see our tracks, a dark cloud had moved over them, confirming our decision to turn around was a good one.

Peter decided to end the day with a dip in the lake, which had a hole in the ice.  He managed to convince Davey it was a good idea, but not this blogger, who argued the weather didn't look conducive to such a maneuver.  So while I took off my soaking socks and hung out at the car, Peter took off all his clothes in the parking lot, and with flip flops, walked towards the water.   He made about two steps before he realized the flip flops didn't work in knee deep snow.  So he ditched them, and post-holed his way towards the water.  Davey followed on skis.  Peter jumped in, and forgot to take his glasses off.  He couldn't find them and soon gave up, in a state of near hypothermia.  

Meanwhile, I'm hanging out at the car for 20 minutes, wondering if they found a hot spring or something because that's a hell of a long time to be naked in the snow and ice water.  Then I see Peter running through the snow to the car, shivering, leaving Davey to find his glasses.  While he warms up, we're wondering what's taking Davey so long.  He eventually found them, and was nearly hypothermic himself.  He said, "Well they're probably worth a few hundred dollars so I didn't want Peter to lose his glasses."

Peter replied that it really wouldn't have cost him anything.  His insurance covers it.  But he just didn't feel like going to the eye doctor today so he wanted to find them.  

I waited a month before I returned.  I skied to Paintbrush Divide and it was 70 and sunny when I got back to the parking lot.  I jumped in the ice free but ice cold water, and it was perfect.  A handy towel and some sunshine, made it all go smoothly.

Jaw Fork

Davey with the North Face of the Jaw in the background

Mount Moran, Falling Ice Glacier cirque

Davey on his way down

Davey 

I know it's frowned upon, but I couldn't resist. 

 I wanted to give the guy a good start to pleasing tourists.

Bison seen on the way home.

Buck

Norton and Strauss on the NE ridge of Buck.  

Davey and I left town at 2:30am to catch up with Alex Norton, Justin Strauss, and Tim Barker somewhere ahead of us to ski Buck Mountain.  Half way up Stewart's Draw we saw their headlamps in the distance.  We took a different route and rendezvoused under the peak at about 6am, and made it to the top just after the sunrise.  It would have been perfect timing if the slopes had received the sun and heat they were expected to get, but high clouds kept the temps down and there was no sign of them getting much warmer to soften up the snow.

From the NE ridge of Buck looking north

The South Teton, South Face

Davey contemplating the ridge where Norton, Strauss, and Barker went.  We thought the left looked less cool but easier so we went that way.  From this point on, Davey led the bootpack up the entire face.  I couldn't even catch him to take my turn in breaking trail.

The three amigos getting off the ridge.

Straussaroo near the summit

Top of the Apocalypse Couloir on Prospectors

The lovely Amore Vida Couloir on the South Teton

Barker and Norton reaching the top of Buck

Norton coming down the upper East Face

Recent Excursions

Christian coming down from the Dike Couloir.  Spectacular terrain with terrible sun crusted snow with pockets of powder.  We should have done the Red Sentinel.

Teewinot getting socked in.  We made it out in the nick of time.  As soon as we closed the car doors, the rain came pooring down.  That was probably the highlight of the trip, along with cb's stories of the Eiger and Chamonix.

Two alpinists making their way up the Teepe Glacier at 11am on a hot day.  Not sure what they had in mind since the Otterbody and SE face of the Grand were heating up directly above them. 

Strauss in the 4 Hour Couloir.  It was the worst run of the season.  The whole damn thing was loaded with pinwheels and death cookies.  They were soft, but plentiful.  Spectacular terrain though.

South aspect of Mount Hunt

Cody Peak with the Central Couloir being the obvious line down the face. Usually there's a 20-70 foot cliff at the bottom to be jumped, but with this year's exceptional snowpack there's nada.

Jack contemplating the jump into Corbett's Couloir

Jack making turns down Corbett's

And Davey climbing his way out of it.  We went to Corbett's to practice crevasse rescue systems, prussiking, and climbing.  It was a gorgeous day and everything worth skiing was avalanching, so it was a good day for training.

Davey's Awesome Pics

Alex Norton assessing the ski cut on the Turkey Chute, holding the flock at bay.  This blogger brought his rope so he wouldn't have to do it.  Call it a tactical evolutionary advantage.  "He who fights and runs away, can run away another day."  Maverick

This blogger assessing the drop in Chuter Buck after Norton pulls a fast one on him for retribution.  "Cons, this was your idea.  You go first."  "Ahh, shit."

Strauss: looks like he's movin'

and groovin'

While Norton's cruisin'

for a bruisin'

This blogger and Regan going up when we should have been going down in the West Hourglass couloir before the slide

This blogger and Regan going up when we should have been going up

Middle Teton

Felt good to be on a summit.  This blogger and Regan trying to share the tiny summit of the Middle Teton without bumping into each other.  Huge drops on all sides.  

A wee bit of a downclimb down the SW couloir on the Middle

Davey's following quote, "Aww, but I want whippet and avalung boy to ski it first."

This blogger reluctantly carrying trailbreaker Davey's skis

This blogger happily following trailbreaker Davey's bootpack up the E face of the Jaw

Another summit to feel good on.

Some more steep turns to be excited about

Dana and Carmen following Davey's bootpack

This blogger, Carmen, and Dana near the top of the Jaw

This blogger excited about the rarity of doing two laps on the Jaw in the perfect weather and great stability and creamy snow

This blogger on the edge

This blogger gunning it fast to get a face shot for the camera

"When you bite off more than you can chew...

...you've got to pay the penalty...

Somebody's got to tell the tale...

I guess it must be up to [Davey]"  

Bob Dylan

Got that face-shot after all

Dana, jaw dropped

And happy as always