TR: Radiobeacon Mountain 6.24.06

[arg]

Late June, 90 degrees in Boulder, perfect time to go skiing. Looking to get what was left of the Front Range snow pack, jonpierre, the great lawrendo, and I headed for Rollins Pass and Radiobeacon Mountain.

A long ride up the bumpy Rollins Pass road brought up to Yankee Doodle lake and impassable snow drifts. Lawrence and JP relaxing before a grueling mile walk up the road to the Forest Lake trail.


At the trailhead we started toward the first obvious line we saw.


Before committing to the final bushwack toward the base of the bowl, we decided that these coulies on Radiobeacon looked more appealing.


JP at lake below the couloirs. Hidden lines abound.


Surface conditions were surprisingly solid, half an inch of slush on top of hard summer snow. JP was the only one of us smart enough not to leave his crampons in the car, so he got step kicking duty up the right couloir. Lawrence climbing the staircase.


Instead of stopping at the top of the couloir, we continued up the mellow snow field above. After a quick lunch, JP drops in.


And down.


JP in the couloir.


Lawrence in couloir just before a bad fall.


Lawrence hit a moat, lost his edges and slid about a hundred feet. His slide ended abruptly at rock in the middle of the couloir. To everyone's great relief, he was OK. A bit bruised and battered, but basically fine. After helping Lawrence up, we watched a couple of guys ski this line.


The first guy down fell above the choke and slid head first into the wall of the chute. Amazingly, he arrested his fall by grabbing a rock and was OK. After the drama we continued down. arg on the apron.


Lawrence sucking it up and getting it done after his fall.


Arg and Lawrence back at the lake. No, we didn't plan to wear the same outfit.


Despite the late hour and a gathering storm to the east, JP and I headed back up for a lap on the left couloir. Lawrence's slide line is visible on the right.


A short bushwack brought us back to the road and the long bumpy ride out.

[iskibc]

NiceTR, and welcome to Colorado. Coverage up around radiobeacon isn't all that bad right now. There are some fun lines in that basin. Once you can get a car further up to the Forest Lakes TH, access doesn't get much easier.

[BushwackerinPA]

http://static.flickr.com/70/175853097_c2d758517a.jpg

scary scary slide, glad too her he wasnt rattled much.

Summer of next year cant wait to be out west somewhere....been gone for month a miss it too much.

[SafteySquad]

My brother and I skied this line a few summers ago. That's a pretty fun area.

[skifishbum]

Nice tr
Thanks for the stoke

[homerjay]

the guys who hit that (skier and boarder) told us it was named "Route 66"

That line is in the front range descents book as the NE couloir, I think.

Great pix, great skiin' up there. Haven't been there in a couple of years.

[GoldMember]

Nice TR. A little scary having people sliding into rocks up there. What degree of pitch are those shots?

[arg]

Nice TR. A little scary having people sliding into rocks up there. What degree of pitch are those shots?

Definitely a little scary to have people falling up there. We got extremely lucky that no one was hurt.

The shots are pretty mellow, I'd guess mid to upper 30's. Surface conditions made them a bit tricky.

welcome to Colorado

Thanks Dave. I'm looking forward to getting out there with more of the CO contingent.

[MOHSHSIHd]

good stuff guys!


could you see our old tracks in both of those coolies from about 10 days ago?


JP, cant believe we havent gotten out together this summer.....school has been a real bitch...

anyway, you guys should come to the 4th of July BBQ and corn harvest on 4th of July bowl at breck....thinking we are camping up there the night of the 3rd...

let me know

[DJMingus]

Nice one fellas - thanks for the TR arg.

[bcrider]

COOL TR!

I always like JP's steeze.