TR: Parkview Mountain 10.17.04

[iskibc]

Parkview Mountain 12,296’
10.17.04
Funkendrenchman, SheRa, Drew, iskibc, dog


THE LINE:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0102.jpg

THE MOMENT:

One breath……..two breath…….three breath………I stood atop the huge rollover anxiously wondering what was below. The point of no return is only a few turns away and my mind was racing with escape plots if something were to go wrong once I reached that point. “Cut hard left and air a rock into the narrow chute…..No, that could be worse…..try and hook the turn and hope my edges come through for me….just straight-line the cliff band and hope for the best…..” my mind was quickly getting cluttered with all the possibilities and no final solution. Neck began to sweat and my gloves were getting moist from the anticipation.


Four breath…….five breath……six breath……A couple of quick looks off into the scenic horizon to calm the nerves, and a push off of the toes inside the boots sent my skis in motion and my mind focused on each turn initiated. It was on:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0068.jpg

The point of no return came quick and that gut wrenching feeling you get when dropping down a steep hill on a roller coaster rapidly built up inside me. “Aww shit” I thought to myself as what had been a bomber snow pack turned into fine and dry sugar as I approached the crux. Within a few moments I could see clearly what was out of view just seconds earlier. The cliff bands were approaching fast and my movements seemed like they were in slow motion. A couple of hard cuts to avoid some rock bands and a long swooping turn to a stop had me standing atop a decent sized cliff with a narrow entrance into an escape:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0079.jpg

All was silent except for the sound of slough cascading over the rocks below.

I paused for a minute or two to plan the next several turns through the maze. A hard push off with my poles, a tuck with the knees and I quickly found myself rocketing through the entrance and over a couple of boulders. I traversed over to a safe zone and watched the others maneuver through different lines down the face of the peak. Funken’s edges were clinging to a wall of snow and rock about 50 yards away, looking like he would fall off the face of the earth with any wrong move:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0081.jpg

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0083.jpg

After a few Billy goat turns/jumps over some large boulders he painted the chute with tight slicing turns all the way down to the apron.

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0085.jpg

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0086.jpg

The tension eased as the rest of the run was in clear view and there were no more cliff bands to contend with to the apron. Several short turns and I found myself swooping large arcs down the apron:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0090.jpg

The building sound of the air rushing through my helmet as I made my way to the end of the snow was like the soothing sound of a symphony playing in a concert hall.

SheRa and Drew picked their way through the terrain and gracefully snapped cutting turns through the open powder field and down to the bottom of the slope without stopping.

SheRa laying turns down the apron:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0088.jpg

As we all gazed back up at our lines you could feel the rush and release of adrenaline in the air. We climbed over the bare south facing ridge and made our next descent through the trees and back to our vehicles. The snow was deeper and the excitement returned as we swept in and out through the trees down to the access road.

Drew:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0095.jpg

Funken:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0093.jpg

[iskibc]

BEFORE:

Parkview Mountain is located on the border of Grand and Jackson counties in the Rabbit Ears range of Northern Colorado. This is a part of the state where the elk and deer outnumber the people by a large margin. This is also a part of the state where every driver coming from the opposite direction gives the ‘courtesy wave’ to oncoming traffic. Tourists? What tourists? Orange flared hats and jackets for hunting are the norm for clothing in these parts. It felt good to be away from the sightseers and the large mountain towns.

Funken and I met up with SheRa and her friend Drew at the top of Willow Creek Pass and drove up the jeep trail to the base of the mountain. The snow above us on the higher terrain was plentiful and the weather was perfect. Sunshine mixed in with a few clouds and crisp air made up for a good morning. We parked at an open switchback just below tree line and began skinning up the shoulder of a sub-peak. Within 30 minutes we were at the top of the sub-peak looking across the way at Parkview and its aesthetic terrain:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0055.jpg

It took us about an hour to skin along the ridge and up to the summit.

Funken coming over the last climb with the Wyoming border off in the far distance:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0066.jpg

Along the way more terrain came into view off the northwest side of the peak:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0058.jpg

Atop the summit sat a lookout hut with a 360 degree view out the windows:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0062.jpg

I unlatched the window coverings and opened the door to get out of the howling winds coming from the west. An old weather computer box and some wiring were all that was left inside the hut.


The rest of the crew showed up and after looking at the incoming clouds from the distance we decided to gear up and start our descent. The winds were fierce as we skated down the ridgeline and over to our intended lines:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0067.jpg

Once we reached the upper shoulder of the face the winds died and the snow was super smooth and light:

Upper shoulder:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0076.jpg

Funken:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0070.jpg

Drew:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0078.jpg

The anticipation of dropping into the big face with scattered cliff bands was already growing as we made our way down the ridge.

[FreakofSnow]

FKNA! ......

[Ireallyliketoski2]

Nice work, that sounded like some scary snow conditions. Glad everyone made it out safely!

[365wp]

LOVE these TRs!

[This End Up]

This is a part of the state where the elk and deer outnumber the people by a large margin. This is also a part of the state where every driver coming from the opposite direction gives the ‘courtesy wave’ to oncoming traffic. Tourists? What tourists? Orange flared hats and jackets for hunting are the norm for clothing in these parts. It felt good to be away from the sightseers and the large mountain towns.

NICE !

[Foggy_Goggles]

I figured you'd like that peak. I hope the beta worked out aight. I don't know too many people that have skied Parkview. Its even better midwinter.

[Vets]

Beautiful TR. What a rush!

[tonghands]

Killer TR, thanks for the stoke.

THE LINE:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0102.jpg

If you look closely in this shot, there is what appears to be a bear, or possibly a jaguar, well camoflauged in the center of the shoot. Dude, don't fuck with bears (or jaguars)!

[Squirrel99]

This TR made has made Monday bearable! Those turns looked real tasty for early season

[sick.bird]

CAW! CAW!

[Billow]

Nice, only two more weeks and I leave the land of clay soil.
Thought Funken was going PNW?

[Z]

noice!!! .

[iskibc]

I figured you'd like that peak. I hope the beta worked out aight. I don't know too many people that have skied Parkview. Its even better midwinter.

Beta was right on. Thanks man. The 4X4 road was cake. There are so many lines up off that peak. Will definitely be making at least a couple more trips up there this winter. Do you know of any access roads to the peaks on the east side of the pass? I think it's either Cascade Mountain or Ruby Mountain.

[grizzle6]

Nice work. Hoping the Wasatch is skiable soooooooooooon!

[cumerritt]

Wow, that was a great TR and some extra great pics. Nice showing!

[Trackhead]

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0066.jpg

SICK!

[Duker]

!Awesome.!

[snowfire]

damn, you guys had powder? Cameron was punchy crust for the most part. Wish we could have made the drive and joined you.

[shirk]

Sweet looking lines.

[shera]

I figured you'd like that peak. I hope the beta worked out aight. I don't know too many people that have skied Parkview. Its even better midwinter.

Thanks Foggy! Loved it...

Hey Dave, would you mind putting this on ttips so that Drew can see it? I'd like to see his pics too. And many thanks for writing up another nice tr.

edit - it wasn't really powder, but it was just as soft. It was uncohesive sugary stuff up in that rock face. Really nice to turn in. The trees were like weighted down powder - not crusty at all. The very top above the rock face was trippy and kinda tough to ski (for me anyway). Had to get my skis all the way up out of it to make edge changes. /stupid snow analysis

[TeleDrew]

This trip rocked! Dave, send me PM with your email and I will send my pics and that movie. Can someone tell me how to post pics on this thread. Thanks. Drew