TR: A Gray's Peak Sunrise Ski (5-12-2007)

[mtnbikerskierchick]

TR: A Gray's Peak Sunrise Ski
5-12-2007, 14,270 ft
solo ski

Well, sorry for the delayed TR. It's been a very busy week. I thought I'd share anyway despite the delay.

After a weekend of crappy weather, I was antsy to get out and this weekend's weather was looking much better. But, I was scheduled to work all weekend at my second job, and outdoor shop. I didn't have to be at work until 10 am so I decided to make something happen. I settled on Gray's peak knowing it was a relatively easy ski and I'd been to that basin before so I knew I wouldn't get lost in the dark. I'd checked out the trailhead the weekend before and knew you couldn't really get up the road past Bakerville at 9,800 ft so I knew it was going to be longer than usual. "Okay, so I have to work at 10, and it's an hour and a half drive from Gray's.... so.... looks like I'll be hiking at night!" So there it was. I started at 1 am.

When I got to Bakerville the snow was frozen despite the temperatures readign 39 degrees. It was a clear night. It was possible to drive up the road a ways on the frozen snow but I opted not to do that. I didn't want to get my car stuck should the snow collapse, nor did I want to go sliding into a tree or something. So I parked at Bakerville. It wouldn't surprise me if this weekend it would be possible to drive all the way to the split in the road between Grizzly and Steven's Gulch.

I left my car at 1 am.


And I hiked on the road for quite a while in the dark.


The road remained snow covered most of the way except for a strectch that was about a 1/2 mile long between the private property sign and the mill house (or mining house or whatever you choose to think it is). This stretch was completely devoid of snow.

The snow was frozen the whole way and gradually froze harder as I progressed to the summit. Near the summit the snow was too icy to continue skinning. After slipping several times I bagged the skins and began boot packing. Boot packing was variable as sometimes my boot would sink well into the snow past the initial ice layer, and other times it would not. I didn't have my crampons with me so I opted to hike through some rock patches for the last few hundred feet to the summit.

I reached the summit at 5:30 am and the sun was just beginning to rise.

Unfortunately, most of my sunrise pics turned out blurry Here's a couple that turned out alright.




I was having trouble with the batteries in my camera and pics were limited.


My battery light was flashing and it seemed pretty random when my camera actually let me take a picture. I tried replacing the batteries with spares I had in my pack. Evidently the "spares" I had were previously used. I even tried taking out the batteries from my headlamp and putting them in my camera but after using my headlamp for 4.5 hours on high power the batteries were low on juice despite putting in fresh ones before I began from the car. My automatic timer wouldn't work at all. I'd set it, then get it going and the camera would shut off. So I had to settle for this lame summit pic... yes I know I'm eating my hair but I was hungry. It was time for breakfast.


The sun was rising more and it was time to go.


Torrey's


As I skied down you could see the sun making the snow glisten. It was beautiful, but also a testament to how firm the snow was.


A look up at the summit of Gray's


Point-releases off of Torrey's




A last look at Gray's on my way out.


I was back at my car before 7 am. The dozen people or so that I passed heading up to Gray's, Torrey's, or Kelso as I was heading down looked at me with complete bewilderment. It was amusing It was a fun night of hiking by myself and the sunrise couldn't have been more beautiful!

[klar]

nice one!

makes me want to go hiking at night.

[Alpine Dreams]

Damn, way to take care before work! Nice job!

[goldenboy]

I thought you were crazy when you said you were going to do this, but that is a pretty cool sunrise, so I guess it was worth it, right? Plus, it's not a trip you would be likely to forget anytime soon. Thanks for putting that up.

[Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo]

Gorgeous



It's good be reminded there are plenty of valid reasons for "starting" your day at 1am.

[Kellie]

I love the dedication - way to get after it!!!

[FrankZappa]

The dozen people or so that I passed heading up to Gray's, Torrey's, or Kelso as I was heading down looked at me with complete bewilderment.

Completely understandable.


Good one there Mbsc. Keep up the good work.

Speaking of work... were you worth anything at work after that?

[mtnbikerskierchick]

Speaking of work... were you worth anything at work after that?

Yeah I was fine at work! It was after work that I was completely worthless.... as soon as the sun set on Saturday I was just gone!

[MakersTeleMark]

Cool TR. Nice tracks:

[mtnbikerskierchick]

[QUOTE=MakersTeleMark;1280267]Cool TR. Nice tracks:

Those aren't my tracks. It was too frozen to actually see many of my tracks at all. Pretty sure those are SheRa's tracks from earlier in the week.

On that day there were 2 sets of tracks. One came from the summit. The others came from a few hundred feet below the summit.

[lemon boy]

Nice B!

That's how I usually feel after true DPs or weekday hunting. I usually rationalize it as: I did more before the sun came up so it's okay to go to sleep way early too. (I also cop quick naps during the day) Also, if I were the type to rationalize my beer drinking I'd use that rationalization but don't really need to go into even that much mental stroking, once I'm done I can have beer…which is why I cracked a hamm's way before 8am turkey hunting…so did you have beer?

[hev]

That's really cool. No rest for the wicked apparently.

[jrbd]

Oooh, aaaahhhh. That looks like fun...

[Nitro]

Cool TR Brit. Super sweet. I finally have an appreciation of all of the 14ers you are doing after doing Sopris (13er) last weekend.

[The Dad]

Noice!!!

[mtnbikerskierchick]

which is why I cracked a hamm's way before 8am turkey hunting…so did you have beer?

Hah! That's great! Nah, I didn't have beer after this one. I went against my tradition I did however go for a nice big cup of coffee

Cool TR Brit. Super sweet. I finally have an appreciation of all of the 14ers you are doing after doing Sopris (13er) last weekend.

Sweet you did Sopris! I definitely want to hit that sometime! It looks like a fun ski and a beautiful mountain! Snowmass seems to be treating you well!!!!

[Nitro]

For sure...you should make it up here. I am assuming I will see you for Blast the Mass and Nationals?

[mtnbikerskierchick]

For sure...you should make it up here. I am assuming I will see you for Blast the Mass and Nationals?

No! Not racing Mountain States Cup this year. Done with that for a while. I didn't like that the races were getting shorter and shorter. I like races that are 3 hours or more, which they used to be. But now MSC makes the races under 2 hours which I really don't like at all. Frankly it just sucks and it makes a whole different kind of person win the race. I might try some longer races... like the Firecracker 50. But right now I have lost the itch for the bike that I used to have and it's fully returned to skiing. Everything goes in cycles you know I'll still be doing plenty of riding this summer for sure!

[Nitro]

Well, I need to keep a positive spin on the Mountain States Cup as my lively hood partly depends on it. Robbing the thread a little, but the races need to conform to a UCI template. I wish we could go back to the days of the old school XC course at CB...multiple laps of epicness here at Snowmass. Well, we need to at least plan on another trip to Monarch Crest!

[mtnbikerskierchick]

Well, I need to keep a positive spin on the Mountain States Cup as my lively hood partly depends on it. Robbing the thread a little, but the races need to conform to a UCI template. I wish we could go back to the days of the old school XC course at CB...multiple laps of epicness here at Snowmass. Well, we need to at least plan on another trip to Monarch Crest!

Of course your livelihood depends on MSC. You can't seem to pull away from it no matter what job you have 2 hour races are fine for some, just not for me. So, it has me looking for other races. The courses used to be so good and so fun. But the "UCI template" has seemed to turn the mtn bike racing into road racing. They've knocked out all the fun techy sections of the courses. To me, this is not mtn biking. Just my take. But, everything goes in cycles. Perhaps we will someday see the return of real mtn bike races in Mountain States Cup. Until then, I'll do some other races that are more my style!

[Kya]

FKNA dude!

[Huckwheat]

FKNA dude.....is right.

I did Grays at night once....starting at 9....but that was summer, and it wasnt solo either. You are bad ass!!

[Pow4Brains]

Nice work! CO Crew gettin' on the stoke. What JJJS said, that pic is $$$$! Hopefully I'll get a tour in June in, thanks for making my dayz.

[ski_faster]

Wow! Nice solo night mission that is awesome.

[Tri-Ungulate]

Thanks for the Dawn Patrol report. Nicely done.