2008.02.28::Shuksan:NF:BYS

[Lani]

In which Tony and made-man eDub, for Mr. Soprano's birthday, bequeef a titty-twisted variation on an iconic classic....


Mt Shuksan from the White Salmon Lodge at world-famous Mt Baker Ski Area

BYS?


If you want the perfect birthday present, the best thing to do is go get it for yourself. Professor eDub actually had the time to ski. What would we do? Let's start with a classic: North Face of Shuksan. Firstly, we're skiing it from the top of the North Shoulder since that's the right way to do it and I haven't bothered to slog up there from the North Face yet.

We wanted more - maybe ski it to Price Lake. But we were ready to let the mountain speak to us. Its voice left us no choice.

The approach, from the gated White Salmon turnoff, began at five-early again.

It's my birthday and this is a celebration. I'm not carrying anything. Reckoning: the vast majority of our time will be spent where 1. there's negligible avalanche risk or 2. an avalanche means certain death. I'm not carrying beacon, shovel, or probe; this is how we get high. Rope? Pro? If we can't do it with an ice ax and crampons, then it's not worth skiing.

Enough ranting. We found some haunting hardslabs on the lower glacier, but found a way to avoid them on descent. Oh yes we did. A few pictures from booting the lower part of the upper North Face:

eDub

Tony

The sunshine en route to the North Shoulder was intoxicating.

eDub

Tony

And the views from atop the North Shoulder? Fuggedaboutit.


A great place for a birthday sunshiny pic-a-nic: Shuksan's North Shoulder


Now let's go skiing. A very pleasant warm-up sloped descends from the North Shoulder.


The North Face featured an acceptable wintry alpine mix. Windboard, packed-and-chundered pow, with only the occasional icy bump. The views were better than ever with the white cloak of winter on everything.

eDub drops into the North Face


That's not so bad.


Got to have one shot with Price Lake.


eDub finds nice windbuff in the margins.


More goods for eDub as we near our Moment of Truth.

So we had noticed this couloir on the approach. I've looked at the tiny remaining strip of snow in the summer and wondered. We discussed climbing it, but opted against that because of our lack of HELMETS.


It will always be BYS Couloir to me.

This steep couloir hangs above cliffs with exposed exit maneuvers. But it adds beaucoup banging fall line to the North Face. We must look.

I was nervous above the entrance. There was a patch of ice. Would it be icy and runneled in there?


No, it would mostly packed pow for the baddest birthday buzz of my 29 years.


Best barfday EVAR


Softening sunny steeps


eDub heads for the exit


What about that exit? From above:


From below:


By 1:30 pm, we sit in White Salmon sunshine with smoked trout, whiskey, and all the positive vibrations you'd care to imagine. A vertical mile of fall line with 4k of steeps? YES PLEASE!


Here's to the dirtiest thirtieth....

[PNWbrit]

More proof, if it were needed, that WA sucks.

[powdherb]

DEAR GOD. that couloir is SO SOOOOO Sick! I knew you guys slayed it, but goddamn, look at your shit-eating grin at the bottom. No wonder you couldn't hang at Dante's last night. Slaying it hard lately, way to epic on your b-day.

[lemon boy]

that is all.

[nexus6]

Wow, just wow.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

That's just retarded. Powdherb is right, that grin says it all.

[RIGAFARI]

Kill'in it!! Nice stoke

[Mofro261]

Well played.

BYS cutting straight through the BS.

[LeeLau]

beauty - no offence to Nate but that's why i shook my head when you posted the TR about having crappy snow on your PNW tour.

[Unemployed]

You got nice pics Sky. Dang, wish I was there.

So is this better than you b-day to Blum?

[detroit]

That looks sweet.

Thanks for posting.

[corn dog]

whoa. Jesus.

[el_jefe]

sickter.

that is all.

[Northway]

This + Whitehorse = good week.

Wow. Nice work man. Spectacular.

[samthaman]

sick. this is just more evidence proving that i need to move to seattle when i graduate.

[mtcham]

Very nice TR. I have been dreaming about this mountain. Some day.

Thanks for sharing

[Greydon Clark]

So sick, serious.

[FOX3R]

Nice TR and a perfect birthday present.

[jon turner]

Kick ass. That is awesome. Way to get after it on the birthday.

[Zeedashbo]

you fuck. i've been eyeing that bottom colouir for years. goddamn good job.

[hop]

you fuck. i've been eyeing that bottom colouir for years. goddamn good job.

It is the most aesthetic line on that entire mountain face, and that's saying something.

Someday, maybe. Way to get after it... as usual.

[crstlextrm]

It would be better if you guys hadnt tilted the pics to make it look more gnar.

FKNA sick. I spent waaayyy too many hours staring at that line when I was bumpin chairs.

[f2f]

beautiful pics and outing! although i also find tilting conspicuously absent

[gimpy]

that was pure radness. fuck yeah team warshington!!!!!

[Cheesestoff]

holy crap that is an amazing line!! nice one