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05-27-2005, 03:52 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,202
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TR 5/27/05 North Face North Maroon
I guess the third time is a charm. I have been trying to get The North Face of N. Maroon Peak for over 8 years. While on the first trip back in 1998, we hit the face and started postholing up to our waists about 1/4 the way up. We aborted and hit the gunsite.
Second attempt, well we did not even make it past the lake. The prior night had low temps and clear and calm skies. We geared up only to be abused by a 55 degree night. This one was not going to happen.
Well, good things happen to those who wait. I have been watching the snow melt for the last week and a half. With cooler temps coming in for Wed, Thurs and Friday night, I knew we had a short window. N Maroon's snow was disappearing like a cool Bud down ones throught after a long day on the hill. Even with the cooler temps sustaining the snow, the route would not go through for much longer.
Early Friday morning was the day. The temps at 10,500 feet dipped into the mid 20's and with the help of the US Forest Service, we had access to the Bells Road about 9 hours earlier than the usual opening.
A 2:15 start from the trailhead assured us of hard snow. Postholing would not be an issue.
We hiked in the dark for about 3 hours, hitting the face at around 5:15.
As we approached the main face.
We started up and the sun lit up the slope. A 45-48 degree sustained pitch made for some interesting traversing.
Our concerns about the route going through were well founded. There were two or three cruxs moves like these, with one burly one at the summit.
After an hour and a half we were uptop.
SDP at the top with S Maroon in the background.
Snowmass Lake and Snowmass Wilderness.
The obligitory point (is this the correct thread for that?).
Some more running around up top and we took off for the descent.
Althought it does not look bold, this crux move had about 150 of exposure if you slipped of that rock I am standing on. It is also about ski width thin.
That would be me in some sweet terrain.
My partner, Everest summiter and winner of the Global Extremes.
More terrain.
After 1/2 hour of skiing and route finding our way down (there is only one way through) we were down.
Here is our route down.
Like I said, I have been trying to get this shot forever, and does it feel good to have done it.
Last edited by skideeppow; 05-31-2005 at 08:35 AM.
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05-27-2005, 03:54 PM
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raise
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Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,617
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Fucking Nice! Two great Colorado TRs today! 
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05-27-2005, 04:00 PM
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Checked out
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,073
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Glad you got it. There's nothing better than finally knocking those monkeys off your back. That line looks super fun. Routefinding down a long pitch is great.
Again, kick ass job!
edit: How is pyramid looking? You can kind of see part of it in a couple of your photos, but it's hard to really tell.
Last edited by iskibc; 05-27-2005 at 04:14 PM.
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05-27-2005, 04:02 PM
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The Buzzard
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,035
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Nice work!, that line looks it was worth the wait.
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05-27-2005, 04:04 PM
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Utard once again
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: In the shadow of the Wasatch
Posts: 10,476
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Nice pic. I love angles like this.
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When in doubt-go higher.
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05-27-2005, 04:07 PM
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Troll
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: SF
Posts: 3,723
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by skideeppow
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!BALLS!
.....
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05-27-2005, 04:30 PM
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Chi Beta, Yo!
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: cb, co
Posts: 1,820
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Nice Job! I am still in the 0 fer 3 club on that route- tough to get in condition. Tell your partner Ted that the guy from Crested Butte that he met on Hurd peak and again on Shasta says "Hi". Too bad I've got family visiting this weekend, so I guess I have another week of watching it melt away before i have a chance to get some skiing in.
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05-27-2005, 04:40 PM
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singletrack state of mind
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: between here and there
Posts: 6,061
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WOW. Rewarded after all these years. That was huge, thanks for sharing.
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More fucked up than a cricket in a hubcap
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05-27-2005, 05:46 PM
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wide open
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: high and dry
Posts: 2,064
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SICKTER!
that's amazing. even my non-skiing co-worker was impressed.
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05-27-2005, 08:13 PM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 6
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MattWOSSSSSSS
awesome brotha, so stoked to see your mugshot on summit, congrats... ballzy descent down that pitch...
very cool, can't wait to hear about it...
udman
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05-27-2005, 08:28 PM
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Attack Horse Trainer
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: on the bench
Posts: 11,055
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Gawd damn that's a sweet one to have in the kitty SDP....sick. 
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05-27-2005, 09:52 PM
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Lambaster
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: My armchair
Posts: 4,432
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Congrats MR!!
Sweet line fo sho
Next time I see yas, 1st beer's on me 
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"... she'll never need a doctor; 'cause I check her out all day"
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05-27-2005, 09:53 PM
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Sofa King
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: hole
Posts: 1,164
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Very nice, stoked you finally nailed it!!
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I'm rather frightened of large dogs since a visit to Juarez in 1997 when my shoes fell off.
-Roo
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05-27-2005, 11:34 PM
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Looking at the mountains
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: In the rain
Posts: 1,575
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! !..................!
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Knowledge is Powder
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05-27-2005, 11:51 PM
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Photag
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Eagle River Alaska
Posts: 8,927
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ummmm 
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Its not that I suck at spelling, its that I just don't care
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05-27-2005, 11:53 PM
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My guts have superbrains
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Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Snowmasspen
Posts: 1,196
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This is one of my favorite TR's of the year. It just reeks of accomplishment. Really liking the pic towards Snowmass as well.
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05-28-2005, 06:50 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 15
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Best TR of the year! 1.5 hours to the summit, you guys smoked. Do you have any pics of Pyramid? BTW doesn't your ice axe belong in your uphill hand on those 45 degree traverses?
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05-28-2005, 07:11 AM
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Warrior of the Wasteland
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Holy Mt.
Posts: 334
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So Ted you didn't trust the tourlite bindings for that ski!? MR, amazing what a good snow year will do. So how's that job, working for those.....people.
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05-28-2005, 07:47 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,202
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by telemetric
Best TR of the year! 1.5 hours to the summit, you guys smoked. Do you have any pics of Pyramid? BTW doesn't your ice axe belong in your uphill hand on those 45 degree traverses?
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Yeah, your axe doesbelong there, i was taking a breather and changing the hands up, because it had been in that one for that traverse. I was standing still there.
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05-28-2005, 07:52 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,202
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by telemetric
Best TR of the year! 1.5 hours to the summit, you guys smoked. Do you have any pics of Pyramid? BTW doesn't your ice axe belong in your uphill hand on those 45 degree traverses?
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I dont have anything with a close look of pyramid. The West face looked super bare, like nothing went from the top.
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05-28-2005, 11:31 AM
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Powder Pervert
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Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Republic of CO.
Posts: 3,534
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The rewards of patience.Stellar tenacity on your part!
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Calmer than you dude
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05-28-2005, 04:30 PM
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HEY NOW
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: STL
Posts: 2,117
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well done, Matt. That is a significant ski-mountaineering accomplishment. You da mang!!!
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"When restraint and courtesy are added to strength, the latter becomes irresistible."
Mohandas Gandhi
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05-28-2005, 04:57 PM
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the stroker ace
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: rollin dank sippin drank
Posts: 563
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__________________
don’t call what your wearing an outfit
don’t ever say your car is broke
don’t worry about losing your accent
a Southern Man tells better jokes
have fun but stay clear of the needle
call home on your sister’s birthday
don’t tell them you’re bigger than Jesus
don’t give it away
-drive by truckers
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05-29-2005, 04:58 AM
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Princess of Powder
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Couloirado
Posts: 6,324
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Great adventure! Thanks for the write-up (nice writing too).
Just drove the big loop across Independance Pass and through Aspen and saw a lot of cool stuff to ski over that way. Glad you got your line, but not everything's melted, hey?
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Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.
Henry David Thoreau
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05-29-2005, 09:13 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,202
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SheRa
Great adventure! Thanks for the write-up (nice writing too).
Just drove the big loop across Independance Pass and through Aspen and saw a lot of cool stuff to ski over that way. Glad you got your line, but not everything's melted, hey?
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There are still lines, but it is going super quick with this warm weather.
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