Old TR: Spring 2013 Ski Mountaineering
The winter of 2012/2013 will never be remembered as one of Colorado's best. It took a long time for winter to start... yet, a series of strong March and April storms plastered the high peaks with the kind of wet, sticky goodness that makes or breaks a Colorado ski mountaineering season. This year was a good one for those looking to tag big steep lines on the higher peaks.
We started the playoff season off in early May with a Front Range classic, the Dragonstail Couloir in Rocky Mountain National Park.
The north face of Longs Peak was in, but barely.
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1676-L.jpg
The Dragonstail boasts 1700' of aesthetic and steep turns:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...223848_n-L.jpg
(Photo by Franz)
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1680-L.jpg
Next skiracer88_00 and I headed up Stevens Gulch to have a look at the steep and exposed east face of Torreys:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...11131127-L.jpg
Unfortunately, a late start and rapidly warming temps left us with some major doubts as to the stability of this solar face. After a series of natural wet slides poured off the steep and cliff-strewn face, we switched gears to colder and lower angle terrain on Grays Peak where we found good recycled powder:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...11131121-L.jpg
The next day I wanted a bit more exercise, so Vela and I went for a long tour to ski "Atlantic Peak," an officially ranked but unofficially named 13er near the far more famous 14er Quandary Peak. Our goal was a series of short but beautiful couloirs on the east face:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...12131012-L.jpg
Skinning:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...12131002-L.jpg
Along the way we saw other possibilities:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...12131057-L.jpg
And cool spires:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...2131144a-L.jpg
We skied a great, snaking couloir known as Atlantis:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...2131253a-L.jpg
Things started to get interesting when mikerecords.com and I went to ski the Dead Elk Couloir, Dragonstail's big brother. There was rock climbing involved:
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...GOPR2298-M.jpg
(Photo by mikerecords.com)
After a successful climb, ski of the upper section, and downclimb back through the rocks, we enjoyed the relative ease of the lower couloir.
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1699-L.jpg
(Photo by mikerecords.com)
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1703-L.jpg
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1708-L.jpg
http://jwelch.smugmug.com/Skiing/201...IMG_1709-L.jpg
(Photo by mikerecords.com)
