TR: Pyramid Peak via the Landry Highway

[adimmen]

I decided to do something slightly different with this TR. Doumall mainly posts at 14ers.com while I favor TGR. Since he was already writing a separate TR, we decided to post it here as well. We figured it would convey our unique experiences and impressions. Nothing was coordinated and we worked from the same set of pictures so it will be interesting to see the overlap.

The morning after failing on Capitol I woke up to see that a group had done Landry. It was a line I wanted but looking at the pictures from wildsnow.com planted a seed of doubt in my head. The exposure and pitch looked eerily similar to Capitol. The last thing I wanted to do was turn around again but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it was very doable. After all, we could have and should have continued up Capitol.

Waking up Sunday morning, we realized everything was failing into place. We were already in the valley so we wouldn't have to deal with snowmachine problems. The overnight freeze was deep and hard and the forecast called for mostly sunny skies. Now all we had to do was get ourselves to the top.

After a short skin, Doumall, Mtnbikerskierchick, and I began the 4000 foot booter to the summit. The temperature made it feel like winter again. Mtnbikerskierchick wasn't feeling well so she decided to turn around. Thanks again for waiting patiently (doumall).


The snow was nearly perfect for booting. We traded the lead and settled into a nice rhythm. Before long we were at the foot of the 2000 foot north face.


The pitch steepened as we neared the ridge but the climbing was straightforward.


Coming out of this couloir, our line finally came into view. It was strange to see so many tracks. Had the Landry Line become a highway? The answer to this question was an emphatic no. We still had a couple thousand feet of exposed climbing between us and the summit.


Exposure was the name of the game for the rest of the climb. Thankfully the snow was supportable and the cornice danger was minimal. That said, all the hairs on my back would have been standing up if I had any. At one point I asked Doumall if he wanted to lead for a bit. His response was not really. That sums up the nervous air of the climb (doumall first one).






Getting onto the summit ridge, things didn't get any easier (doumall).




The snow coverage was excellent so the face was mostly snow. I wanted to get a look at the way around this cliff so I took a sporty, mixed route (doumall).


After the long intense climb, the gentle summit was a welcome relief. We were halfway to our goal.


The valley floor is 4500 feet below (doumall).


The summit ridge is a cone with fall-and-die exposure on both sides. Climbing up, I could focus my vision straight ahead but turning down the face, I was constantly confronted with the exposure. Combined with a funky crust, the skiing was not particularly enjoyable.

Below the summit ridge, however, the skiing was excellent. The wind consolidated pow sluffed just enough to be fun. For the most part, I couldn't ask for better snow. I did knock a couple bowling ball sized ice chunks down the slope. One hit my leg but I think my adrenals were too fatigued to even respond (doumall).




Or better views.








Passing out of the exit couloir we proceeded to a bountiful harvest of succulent corn.




This descent truly had it all: exposed, technical skiing; steep, wintry snow; and perfect corn. Any of these sections alone would have been a worthy descent. We couldn't help but smile (mtnbikerskierchick).


Thanks for a memorable day.

[doumall]

4-27-08
Pyramid Peak
Summit Ski Descent – Landry Line
Maroon Lake Basecamp
Crew: Adimmen, doumall

Sleep is tough when you have something planned like the Landry Line. I lay thinking in my sleeping bag about what lay in store for me the following day. Was I capable of this? Did I belong on a such a seldom skied route? Would the snow cooperate? So many questions… need to get some sleep. Eventually I did fall into that black hole which leaves no memory of its passage.



The rest of my TR can be found here:

http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripre...tripmain&ski=1

[Lloyd Braun]

The Elk Range delivers again!

Congrats

[alto]

snagged!

[leroy jenkins]

Aww come on, with all that snow up there it isn't even gnar any more.


Well done guys. By looking at that shot of the bells it looks like someone should be getting some first descents done up there this spring. Not me, but someone.

[HuckSolo]

That is one of the sickest mountains...way to slay her, and great pics you guys have

[couloirman]

animals, animals is what you are. Bad ass line guys, one to be proud of for sure.

[montanaskier]

absolutely RIDICULOUS!

[Kya]

Well done guys, well FKNA done!

[smmokan]

SO sick...

[jSki]

Non stop. This has to be the biggest month in Colorado ski mountaineering history. Massive lines are getting slayed every day with no end in sight. Again, well done.

[nick > jesus]

WAAAAAY rad, way to get after it

[Lone Star]

great pics and writeups, guys. i get gripped just looking at some of the pics of the ascent (and the ski down, too).

[Trackhead]

Originally Posted by jSki

Non stop. This has to be the biggest month in Colorado ski mountaineering history. Massive lines are getting slayed every day with no end in sight. Again, well done.

What's interesting is the psychological aspect and progression.

The line sat for what? 20+ years without a repeat. Then two years ago it gets tagged multiple times...........wait a year......get good conditions.......and it gets hammered again.

I bet every year now that it's skiable, even some years when conditions are marginal, it will be skied. There will not be a year it isn't skied multiple times, when conditions permit.

Progression in the community. Just like the Tetons, Wasatch, and every where else. It's interesting to see it first hand.

[Meadow Skipper]

Killing it. Just fucking killing it.

Way to be.

[powderhound100]

awsome


and thats not budweiser is it?

[Deep Days]

Originally Posted by leroy jenkins

Aww come on, with all that snow up there it isn't even gnar any more.


Well done guys. By looking at that shot of the bells it looks like someone should be getting some first descents done up there this spring. Not me, but someone.

Paging Looney McS'Hofer to the psycho courtesy phone, Mr. Looney McS'Hofer.

Dudes. Nice effin' work. Period.

[Karl Stall]

Man, that's awesome. I have climbed it 5 times in the summer by various routes, but after looking at it up to 80 days a year, the line haunts me.

I really, really, want to ski it but I think it will have to wait a bit longer. I hope that I have the conditions you had when I finally take my shot.

Congrats - well done!

[Summit]

saweet! good picks!

dual TR from the same TR is interesting. I vote for the addimen TR that fits in one post

[Xover]

fuck me!!!!

that is one kick HH in his big, phat, soft, droopy ass TR
those photos take the mutha-fuckin-cake!!!! my two favorite are absolutely the "trading leads" photo (it really shows the steepness of the slope) and the "hand in the air" back at the trailhead shot by mtbikerskichick - it alone is priceless.

very well done gents; very well done

[Danno]

FKNA, that is sweet.

[mtnbikerskierchick]

You guys rock That is all.

[Squirrel99]

Awesome job, great time to be in Colorado - snowpack is allowing tons of huge descents. Nice work again!

[powdork]

Originally Posted by doumall

I enjoyed climbing along this ridge more than anything else I have done in the mountains.

that's some seriously fucked up shit right there

nice trs

[KillingCokes]

Congratulations Joe. Very well done indeed.

Thanks for the stoke