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04-22-2007, 03:01 PM #1
TR: Austin Peak, WY-Spines,Couloirs,Pow
Austin Peak-Spines, Three Couloirs, and Pow
photos: Wysplit_ride and Matt Lloyd
*Mega photos, but a lot of lines dropped. Will not disappoint.
This is my first trip to Austin Peak in the Absarokas. I first found out about this peak while at a quaint little cowboy cafe in Cora, WY. In the cafe is a huge photograph of a few people standing on top of the peak with an amazing couloir dropping off the summit. From the moment I saw that photo, I knew I had to see what the line was all about. Little did I know we would be skiing spines, three couloirs, and amazing late April powder on our first visit. Might as well be Little Italy.
Climbing up the south is very mellow with some amazing bowls. I was blown away when we reached the summit ridge and peaked into a whole north facing zone of couloirs, spines, and endless lines. A true North Shore of the Absarokas.
Surrounding area scenics on the approach:
Matt near summit plateau with south lines and a point at the warm up run:
A short spine for a warm up run. Matt's warm-up sequence:
With the warm-up run out of of the way, it was time to make our way to Austin Peak and the Northern Zone. Little did we know how good it would be.
Matt on the summit ridge looking at the main spine in the center that we would drop next. This is just below Austin's summit.
Matt traverses over to the spine/couloir:
The line was a bit sketchy because clouds moved in and blocked our view of the bottom. We knew cliffs lurked below, but where:
Matt drops into the north sequence:
Wysplit_ride at the bottom:
Little did we know that these two hundred foot cliffs block the bottom of this shot. I thought about trying to drop, but we made a good call:
With one cool line dropped, it was time to climb back out and drop from Austin Peak's true summit. The clouds were beginning to clear:
A view of Austin Peak summit (right) and first line schralped (left):
Looking down the main northeast couloir that we would drop off Austin Peak. Second couloir of the day. Apparently in a TGR film, Jason Tattersall kicked off an avi in this couloir and then skied it. We just kicked off about 12 inches of fresh sluff and did not appear in a film.
Matt drops off the top of Austin Peak:
Wysplit_ride coming out of the apron of Austin's Couloir:
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04-22-2007, 03:02 PM #2
Part 2
Matt with the main Austin Peak couloir in the background:
With two couloirs down, it just didn't seem like enough. There was a true north facing couloir that led off the direct summit, but did not cliff out. It was about 2000 vertical feet of amazing turns and aesthetic features. It was magical.
Matt dropping the final couloir of the day:
Wysplit_ride halfway down the couloir. Getting ready to surf some slough.
A perfect end to a perfect day.
Today was one of the most perfect days I have spent in the mountains this season. A new fantabulous ski zone, amazing lines in abundance, and riding with a good buddy that pushed for that one last line that was oh so good. I am still on cloud nine.
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04-22-2007, 03:16 PM #3
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04-22-2007, 03:43 PM #4
You crazy wyomans! Does your dad shoot bears too??
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04-22-2007, 05:04 PM #5
Nice Work, WySplit...as always!
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04-22-2007, 05:05 PM #6
you always bring the good spring stoke. nice work!
"In the woods, we return to reason and faith. There I feel that nothing can befall me in life, — no disgrace, no calamity, (leaving me my eyes,) which nature cannot repair." -Emerson
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04-22-2007, 06:14 PM #7
First class TR, looks like an awesome time.
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04-22-2007, 06:19 PM #8
Great TR, looks like a lot of fun!
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04-22-2007, 06:22 PM #9Registered User
- Join Date
- Apr 2004
- Location
- Southeast New York
- Posts
- 11,766
FKNA!! Beautiful.
Me, I started ripping up my basement floor today after the flood.
Wanna trade
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04-22-2007, 11:23 PM #10Lover de La Nina
- Join Date
- Jun 2004
- Location
- South Lake Taco
- Posts
- 983
Top Notch TR!
That was a helluva day. I really like the lighting in some of those shots. Those broken up storm days do amazing things to the lighting in the mountains. And you guys were in some cool mountains, lighting it up!
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04-23-2007, 07:34 AM #11
nice playground
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04-23-2007, 10:58 AM #12
thanks for all of the kind words...was a fun day for sure! Get the pow while you can.
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04-23-2007, 11:20 AM #13
looks perfect...and the pow...leaves me speechless
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04-23-2007, 11:24 AM #14
nice work!
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04-23-2007, 11:35 AM #15
excellent stuff!"It is not the result that counts! It is not the result but the spirit! Not what - but how. Not what has been attained - but at what price.
- A. Solzhenitsyn
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04-23-2007, 11:42 AM #16Registered User
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Posts
- 47
Looks like a great place! The pictures are gorgeous.
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04-23-2007, 11:44 AM #17
FannnnnnTasssstttttttiiiiiiiccccccccC!
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04-23-2007, 12:17 PM #18
amazing. thank you for posting this, some of my friends here in Pinedale are lacking motivation and this should do the trick!!
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04-23-2007, 02:14 PM #19
Nice looking lines.
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04-23-2007, 02:22 PM #20Registered User
- Join Date
- May 2005
- Posts
- 3,972
Zowie! WSR, you never cease to amaze me with some of the turf you get after.
Thanks, man!
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04-23-2007, 02:35 PM #21
Solid work as usual. Is it just me or you guys the only ones ever out in that range? Nothing like a big empty backyard.
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."
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04-23-2007, 04:36 PM #22
Dont you guys have anything rad to ski?
That looks like a great day.
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04-23-2007, 05:08 PM #23
Very nice. Looks like you had a heck of a fine day!
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04-23-2007, 05:14 PM #24
Gnar to the max! Outstanding.
Every man dies. Not every man lives.
You don’t stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.
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04-23-2007, 05:31 PM #25mental projection
- Join Date
- Feb 2004
- Location
- 208 State
- Posts
- 2,577
Wysplit_ride you guys are always takin' it to a "whole notha leval"....sorry I've been wanting to say that for a while
Seriously Great TR! Once again I've always wondered how it would be to ski in that area after flying over it on my way to visit family in Wisconsin. Big lines and flat top mountains at least that's how it looked from cruising altitude
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