powder and ice

Big weekend, I'm tired.
Gave the sewing machine a rest and got down to business playing.

Huge day skiing on Saturday something like 12 miles and 7,000' vert in 10 hrs. Covered some serious ground. Up sunburst, over taylor pass, to Pastorial, steep ridgelines, santa claus chute and then some.

Billy's write up and more pic's Here

Heading up Pastorial:


We were aiming for the Santa Claus chute, a north facing chute, but first we had to traverse this ridgeline.. it was a bit airy and had us all wanting ice axes...

Billy pokking around the corner:


Me probing ahead, photo by Billy:





i'm pretty at home on sketchy, exposed snow, that's why they invite me along, so I ended up breaking trail & route finding getting to the col. We came over the pass in the far background. The views were nothing short of stupendous in all directions! high pressure rules!

Billy, Yvonne and Bryce are the 3 dots in the middle on the ridge. sweetness:


Billy took this one of me looking back, we ended up dropping down the face to the right of me:


Although warned of the south facing snowpack we were lured the run partly by my stoke level on the asthetic line, and part of a totally bomber snowpack.



3 good fast turns then hammered, I dont want to talk about it... we half skined, half booted out of the basin, pure work in the sun...


Then it was time for the goods, santa claus chute.
Here it is in the distance, its the obvious big notch on the ridgeline, the peak we traversed is to the right.



Billy dropping in:


The north facing snow was weightless blower powder, bryce was stoked...


did another half run on the lower part and began the long cruise / double pole / skate out center ridge. The Swallowtail was in effect - check out the rooster tail!



Sunday Bryce and I went to Eklutna Canyon for some late season ice climbing. Had the whole canyon to ourselves. It was my first time on ice this season, but managed to lead Ripple. good stuff. Then we did another somewhat stiffer route with Bryce doing the lead duties. Nice place to be after a big day skiing.