Paging SA crew: Las Lenas getting Pounded!

**Spats** · 09-10-2004, 06:14 PM

yesterday:

for basom, a huge 2000´+ fresh rockstar line down entre rios: the picture earlier is me dropping the cornice. snow was thigh-deep fluff to the bottom. most brutal bootpack i´ve ever done but so worth it.

then we found a curiously neglected snowfield in exocet and lapped it a couple times. anything south facing is still cold smoke.

finally we took down hourglass couloir. 3000´, 40-50 degrees, giant rock walls, runs nearly all the way down to the creek. snow was blower on some aspects, chalk on others, and icy in the second crux - anything with north exposure is getting melt-freezed. an intense ride

today:

sickness down the chutes in the bowl at the far side of cerro martin. top is 55 degrees +. deep blower all the way down. squirrel did a sweet jump entrance to rock ollie. i dropped the cornice and almost washed myself with my own sluff. chuck hit an unexpected icy patch, jumped a rock band, and straightlined the whole thing.

so good we hiked it again. top of banana, around the corner to the chutes on the face. more untouched blower. snow is still perfect.

closed out the day by getting reminded of our own mortality. missed the turnoff to vegas and ended up in a very narrow 1600´ coulour where a snowboarder had scraped the crux down to 30´of icy rockfall. squirrel leads the sketchiest downclimb ever, in view of a steadily accumulating crowd on the piste below. we are both gripped hard but finally make it and get the skis back on. then a little 8-10´drop at the exit into chocolate chips, squirrel ejects and nearly tomahawks a boulder. i acid drop it and we ski out. we are both shaking.

careful of that "last run", friends.

if there were photographers and videographers there we could have made a movie by now. three days of pure bluebird and fluff. but who wants to interrupt their line to set up for action shots?

tonight all the weekend warriors arrive. there will be debauchery at ufo and elsewhere late into the night. saturday we sleep in.

life is good.

**yogachik** · 09-10-2004, 06:33 PM

all of these SA threads rule. They are sustaining me.

**Squirrel99** · 09-11-2004, 01:51 PM

Originally posted by Arty50
You know, there´s more than one thread on SA going...

Not Really, hijacker!

But hope you are getting the pow too (and better looking women in Bariloche!). Looking forward to more of you pics.

**Squirrel99** · 09-11-2004, 02:12 PM

Basom, this one´s for you...
Entre Rios kicked ass- best run of the trip so far

Check out the line to the left that chokes. Hit up this entrance off the cornice for a most enjoyable ride. It´s the cornice with the shaded area in above picture, landing directly adjacent to the small rock. Heré is a view looking down from the top as
once again, our ´Bird-Jackson-Alpental crew getting in first tracks... Mot and Raja´s lines in the foreground

Spats enjoying some pow

Banana Couloir in the center. Another first tracks- sorry about the quality, though.

And for Baker Boy, just wait for the update from Eros in Mendoza next week

**FollowMe** · 09-11-2004, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by Squirrel99
Basom, this one´s for you...
Entre Rios kicked ass- best run of the trip so far

Okay, now you're a braggart - just kiddin', I'm speachless...My God...

**Squirrel99** · 09-11-2004, 02:37 PM

[i]Originally posted by cab9
Hey Squirrel, is that Extreme Joe, the red threat? [/B]

No, but I have run into Joe Lammers a few times this week.

**Squirrel99** · 09-11-2004, 02:43 PM

Originally posted by skier666
Shit....that's looks horrible
so very jealous

Touche! That´s exactly what I was thinking at work when I was drooling over your NZ pics

**Squirrel99** · 09-11-2004, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by Karl Stall
Me thinks Squirell99 spent some time at the Xover Academy of "stuff it in your face" powder flaunting - nice

Yep, but I aced the class cause The´Bird is always better than Alta-tude

Kellie,
yeah, dave is here all summer. we were back in an area very near where you were thinking off the backside. wish you were here this year. it´s been a fun trip. Per your request, More pics for ya here:

Cenidor, after it was worked on the first day of the storm

First tracks down the Banana Couloir, Spats in the foreground.

El Collar, tomorrow!

Principito and Saint Exupery

Hiking to top of Cerro Martin. Might be able to see Spats if you look closely.

**raddam** · 09-11-2004, 06:40 PM

this shot is sick
luv it
luv this thread
luv las lenas

hey have you run into JB from Snowmass or a delinquint freak show named Billy Poole down there during this last storm cycle?

I am freaking in for next Sept!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the stoke

**Kellie** · 09-11-2004, 07:29 PM

Thanks for the pics - I have to admit I'm almost in tears right now knowing how good it is! Way to get the job done! Do me a favor, and don't go to the collar - stop at Manhattan instead - it looks perfect (and it's much steeper than anything else you'll find over there!).

Say hi to Dave and everyone else for me, and I'll pray for the temps to stay down - what a dream!

Have fun, be safe :-)

**splat** · 09-11-2004, 07:57 PM

Fucking schwank, you guys.

Tell Lammers I said hi.

**basom** · 09-13-2004, 06:04 AM

Originally posted by Squirrel99
Basom, this one´s for you...
Entre Rios kicked ass- best run of the trip so far

ohhh... can i get a hell fucking yes! hell fucking yes

its hard to imagine anything i'd rather ski more than entre rios. its so amazing just to look at it from the Opposing aspect, from the peak, from inside one of the couloirs. its just ment to have the shit ripped out of it.

so stoked for you guys down there. words can't really convey. i think some of my Involuntary bodily functions are begining to shut down.....

**powstash** · 09-13-2004, 10:12 AM

I spent the entire weekend sick at home, laying around, watching way too much TV, and dreaming that I was in Las Lenas with Squirrel. Can't friggin' believe how sick it is for you guys down there. Booyeah!

**Squirrel99** · 09-13-2004, 10:46 AM

Raddam,
Yeah- I met Jim and Cree on the first day lower mountain was open. Saw them again yesterday heading toward Manhattan. Think there´s about 4 people here from Aspen.

Splat, check.

Kellie,
It´s buring up hot now- was 10C at the summit yesterday and today is hotter. Typical Lenas day with lots of wind and hot temps. Snow is now starting to melt fast, but still good pow and corn to be had. Entre Rios had some good wet slides yesterday. Starting to see a bit of action on all aspects late in the day. Manhattan was icy for the most part, and then a slush fest though the apron. Paraisio was a solid corn run to hidden pockets of cold smoke in the shade.

Yesterday we had the absolute Éxperience¨ Run. Went touring way out to Broken Shoulder. Ran into some wild horses on the broken shoulder summit. Took a billy goat mountaineering line through this huge rock wall and we all skied the rest of the 4,000 vertical feet of powder, slush, crud, etc.. to the road. After hiking out to the road, we were able to hitch a ride back to town on a school bus! Damn sweetest ride ever. These 8-10 year old kids were just super stoked. We got on the bus with all our gear and they started screaming and shouting. One of the kids showed us this cut out sheet of plastic with a string attached- said it was his snowboard! We were all so stoked. Gave out some Power Bars. What a great way to end the day. I´ll post a picture of the bus later- need to get a copy as my batteries were out. But here are a few pics from yesterday...

Wild Horses! (ala Rolling Stones, etc.) Chuck trying to get close

And Girlski, Happy Birthday! Here´s our line we skied for ya

**skier666** · 09-13-2004, 11:08 AM

Talk about a ski experience.....

....ummm yeah, we were skiing this chute and then saw some horses on the ridge....sick!

That chute looks rather fun...ok....really fun.

**lph** · 09-13-2004, 11:14 AM

WOW!!! Wild horses while skiing? WTF.

Great thread squirrel, keep it coming!!!

**Kellie** · 09-13-2004, 01:55 PM

Even if it's melting fast, it looks like you've still got a good base to go from! It looks like you can even ski to the road :-)

Broken shoulder . . . ahh good memories - skied it last year on the first Marte-accessed powder day, for the worst breakable crust of my life - I feel like that run is always an adventure - such a sweet line though! Who were you out there with?

**girlski0912** · 09-13-2004, 02:25 PM

Thanks Squirrel! That line looks like I could have a little, just a little, fun on it...

**Spats** · 09-14-2004, 12:07 PM

Sunday: a mix of backside and frontside laps with the crew. Buttery windblown pow down the gut of Exocet, tasty corn through some chutes on the Sombrero, and a hidden low-altitude pow stash amongst the leñas at the bottom. In case you´re wondering, a leñas is a scrubby little yellow desert bush which is about the only thing besides moss that grows up here.

Yesterday was looking like a down day with Marte on wind hold. One unsatisfying lap on Cenador and I went back up to wait for the snowbus, when bam! Marte opens. I sneak a lap on Human Error before they can man the BC shack and tell me to stay out: smooooth chalky windbuff that didn´t seem affected by the heat wave. Catch another lap and pick out the windbuff down Marte bowl. They´re only loading every other chair so the line is getting long by this point. Next lap I intend to drop into Vegas but end up way around the corner, and boot over some rocks into Little Vegas. 1300+ feet of untouched boot-top wind deposit that somehow didn´t get sunbaked

Marte bowl was unrecognizable today: last night´s windstorm left it looking like either a frozen ocean or the moon, depending on the aspect. I decided slushy north-facing aspects were better than moon rocks, so I skinned up the cat road to Manhattan Couloir. After an hour and some exciting rock scrambles near the top, I end up in the big bowl leading down the gut. 2500+ terrifying feet of 40-45 degree slush punching a narrow, twisty passage through a huge red cliff opposite the Marte, with chokes down to ski width. I am scared shitless for two reasons:
1) I´m soloing
2) I´m never 100% sure I´m in the right couloir, and I imagine getting closed out over a 300´ rockfall every time I turn a corner or crest a rollover
Though the skiing turned out to be reasonably easy, I have never been so glad to see a slushy, rock-scattered apron in my life.

I´ve got a camera full of spectacular pics...they´ll go up when I get back sometime next week.

Additionally, Squirrel is the man, in case any doubt is left.

**skideeppow** · 09-15-2004, 01:15 PM

gotta love manhatten, pucker factor is huge. I have had some downclimbing in there before, same deal solo was not sure in the right place.
Brings back sweet memories. Enjoy!!!

**powstash** · 09-15-2004, 01:26 PM

Originally posted by Spats
and a hidden low-altitude pow stash

I'm not sure if I was in LL.

Originally posted by Spats

Additionally, Squirrel is the man, in case any doubt is left.

I think if there is a "Stoke Thread of the Summer" award that it goes to Squirrel. Owens, any chance we could throw Squirrel a copy of one of TGR's finest as a "Stoke Thread of the Summer" award? Anyone agree?

**Squirrel99** · 09-15-2004, 01:31 PM

One more update from Las Lenas. It has been an awesome couple of weeks here. Temps are now soaring to about 15C and corn skiing has arrived. Lots of the last storm has started to melt away, but still decent skiing to be had off the Marte lift and touring higher. Yesterday hiked to top of Cerro Martin and found a difficult bounty of loose granular chop and roller balls, creating a fun, yet dizzying adventure through sluff on the adjacent 50 degree chutes. Edgeable windbuff with an inch or two on top would best describe it. Later headed out toward Sans Noms and carved up some smmoooove corn. Unfortunately, the road had melted out so we had a fun 1 hour walk back to al centro in our ski boots.

A few more pics from the trip here:

Blurry powder shot below Cerro Martin

One of Spats testing out his edges about to drop in

Looking back down on one of the intense hikes

Spats entering Hourglass. I was crapping in my pants taking this shot as I was holstered between the cliffs edge and impending chute below. Trippie, for sure!

Sunset on Cerro Lenas

And here we are trying to get anyone to stop and pick us up for a return trip to the base. Fortunately, the school bus showed up and we were all provided with a huge blast of stoke to carry forward to the upcoming season.

**powstash** · 09-15-2004, 01:35 PM

I rest my case...

travel safe friend.

**Spamhelmet** · 09-15-2004, 01:41 PM

Utmost gratitude and respect to all of you guys,Squirrel/Spats etcetera...

Trip Report of...

Thank you.

**shamrockpow** · 09-15-2004, 01:48 PM

Originally posted by Squirrel99

And here we are trying to get anyone to stop and pick us up for a return trip to the base. Fortunately, the school bus showed up and we were all provided with a huge blast of stoke to carry forward to the upcoming season.

Did they let you drive the bus this year???