Results 1 to 19 of 19
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    North Vancouver/Whistler
    Posts
    13,985

    TR: Joffre Group March 15, 2008 or Oh no not again

    It started with great plans to summit and ski three peaks in one day but ended with a whited-out whimper. The weekend's weather forecast looked it might give Brian and I a one-day window of good weather so we made a plan to ski into Cerise Creek, overnight at Keith's Hut then summit and ski Joffre, Matier and Slalok and exit via Joffre Lakes.

    The plan started well as we set out from the Cerise Lot at 10:45. In 1.5 hours we were at the hut and snoring



    The next morning we were up before our hutmates. Early morning fog burnt away and views became inspiring. The first peak is a tedious slog via the standard route. On the theory that its best to get the hardest out the way, we started up Joffre via Aussie Couloir.



    Because we were relatively early, it was a nice climb. It started getting seriously hot only at the top of the final pitch.



    Summit and sunny! Central Couloir does not look very inviting and we gave the cornices a wide berth



    As luck would have it, cloud rolls in as we prepare to descend. A half - hour of waiting doesn't help our body temps or mood and visibility remains shite



    Clouds break a bit at the bottom - just enough to taunt us and make me think wild-thoughts about skiing Matier and Stonecrop in windows of blue sky sucker-holes. In retrospect, I'm glad Brian remained sane and talked me out of it.



    We did manage to eke out some decent turns retreating off the Matier and Anniversary Glaciers. Brian however was frustrated in his goal of being the first person to put in a 10,000 foot day in the Joffre Group in alpine boots.







    Will put up full TR, map, beta so you too can get to Circus Creek yourself later.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Calgary
    Posts
    443

    $$$$$$$$$$$$
    I belong to a cult that believes in wrecking leather jackets, dying themselves purple and demolishing 40 beer.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Van BC
    Posts
    32
    wicked photos Lee. hopefully i can make it next time.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Eagle, CO
    Posts
    2,271
    Better luck with weather next time. Good turns regardless.


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    denver
    Posts
    1,863
    Great pics, especially the one looking through your legs.
    I can't believe you are a rando racer because I look so much better in Lycra than you.

    People who don't think the Earth is flat haven't skied Vail.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    bozone
    Posts
    945
    Quote Originally Posted by LeeLau View Post
    As luck would have it, cloud rolls in as we prepare to descend. A half - hour of waiting doesn't help our body temps or mood and visibility remains shite

    this photo is awesome. really moody/mysterious. looks like you guys managed to make the most of it, thanks for the TR.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Brooklyn
    Posts
    434
    Your photos never cease to blow me away. Most of these have a very neat kind of surreal quality to them.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    bestcoast
    Posts
    2,126
    nice work boys!

  9. #9
    forest Guest
    great shots again Lee. any sign of that big slide from Wednesday?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    cb, co
    Posts
    5,035
    Nice try. We occasionally talked about trying to pull off the same tour, also in alpine boots since AT boots were so weak when I was living up there. Better luck next time with the weather, still looks like good skiing

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    MiZZZZoula
    Posts
    3,145


    Nice shot man. This could have gone here

    edit - i put it in there for ya
    Last edited by FreakofSnow; 03-17-2008 at 10:30 PM.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Uber Alles California
    Posts
    3,933
    ^^^^^ ditto, rad shot
    Hello darkness my old friend

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    Vancouver
    Posts
    778
    Didn't have enough pics to warrant my own thread so I thought I would bump this one up again.

    We found some new couloirs around whistler. Unfortunately it was 15cms on pure ice so we elected to try them some other day

    Both have pretty big rollovers which is what turned us around.



  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    North Vancouver
    Posts
    6,457

    Lee setting a strong pace with the intention of knocking out 3000m.


    We go UP, before we can go down.


    Before the weather crapped out I snapped a pic of what was supposed to be our next objective of the day. Northwest face of Matier.


    WTF just happend to the vis. Did you call for a cloud delivery?


    Steep skiing is easy like Sunday morning.


    Oh it would have been oooohh so much nicer to ski the powder with vis.


    Just about half of the couloir not in the cloud.


    Anniversary Glacier held some nice boot deep meadow skipping on our retreat.


    Hucking on Dynafits. For anyone that knows Lee you know his depth perception is way off. In the flat light we rolled up to the edge of this cornice, as I was still trying to figure out how big it was Lee said it only looked like a couple feet and slipped off the edge. He plummeted straight down and out of sight. Guess it was a bit bigger than expected.

    Next time we'll hope for a bigger weather window. Good tour thou.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    North Van
    Posts
    61
    Nice trip.

    Just skied this one this morning . . .


  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
    Location
    North Vancouver/Whistler
    Posts
    13,985
    yup - i showed that cornice who's boss

    Full TR - http://www.leelau.net/2008/joffregroup2008_03_15/


  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Posts
    417
    bizzump.

    the usual Lee et al superlatives.

    Lee's impromptu cornice hucking made me laugh.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    be here now
    Posts
    5,369
    Love-leeeeeeeee!
    Let me lock in the system at Warp 2
    Push it on into systematic overdrive
    You know what to do

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    8
    Quote Originally Posted by postman22 View Post


    Those look sketch-tastic.

Similar Threads

  1. Group Ride Incident and resulting question:
    By Cornholio in forum Sprocket Rockets
    Replies: 42
    Last Post: 01-27-2007, 09:27 AM
  2. TGR market research
    By The Suit in forum General Ski / Snowboard Discussion
    Replies: 310
    Last Post: 06-23-2006, 09:05 AM
  3. 1st Group Ride
    By warthog in forum Sprocket Rockets
    Replies: 28
    Last Post: 04-10-2006, 11:39 AM
  4. NSR: Maggot group on Prosper.com
    By huck4bucks in forum General Ski / Snowboard Discussion
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 02-22-2006, 01:14 PM
  5. Working with group dynamics
    By Platinum Pete in forum The Slide Zone
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 02-15-2005, 08:55 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •