Finishing 'The Chuting Gallery'!

[nohow]

On April 1st 2011 I skied the NE Face of the Pfeifferhorn with Andy Jacobsen and Andrew McLean. This closes the book on a 13 year project to ski all the lines in Andrew's skiing guidebook 'The Chuting Gallery'.

I wouldn't say I saved the best for last, but this is a pretty cool line. And a very elusive one to 'tick' with it's fall and you die exposure on a face that rarely seems to be in great condition. I've tried three times in the past two years and no other descent in 'The Chuting Gallery' required so many attempts. All the failed efforts and the weight of possibly finishing this mad obsession made it more daunting and heightened the anxiety for the day.



The massive exposure doesn't exactly bring peace of mind. We skied the right hand ridge, traversed to and side steeped the center spine and rappelled from there.



I suggested Andrew could republish the book excluding this line and we could avoid this nonsense altogether.



His answer was 'no'.



The approach gives you plenty of time to get a good look at what lies ahead.



The breakable rime crust wasn't confidence inspiring for what we might find.



Andrew said we were taking it too far by wearing matching outfits. He was wrong of course.



Before we knew it Andrew was dropping out of site.



The ridge was pretty good after working through a little rocky patch. We actually made several turns!



A really firm patch of snow made a spicy crossing from the ridge to the face.



A short traverse led to the STEEP spine. Luckily the snow was perfect.



We hung tight, really tight while Andrew placed the bolts. Here is Andy reaching for the rope and happily clipping in to the bomber protection.



It had been 12 years since Andrew had last been dangling from a rope here. He said it was just as exciting back then.



It felt good to be on the rope looking down at the apron finally! Especially after the small slip I had while clicking out of my bindings. Andy saved my ski from taking the shortcut to the bottom.



Andrew and his book have opened my mind to a broader definition of what 'skiing' is.



On almost any other day I would have said the skiing on the apron sucked. But it didn't, even though the snow was terrible.



Sometimes it's hard to believe, even with the tracks to prove it.



Here is to following what excites you, running towards your fears and being lucky enough to survive it all. Cheers!

Thanks to Andy Jacobsen for all the great images captured that day!

[spankthepow]

Hoooly shit that is burly. Good work!!!

[hop]

Pfft. Way to "Plinko" your way down that thing. That's not skiing. That's downclimbing/rappelling/being a pussy.

[gpcharles]

looks like a wild and fun time!

[That was Pontus]

Mind boggling exposure and burly steeps, wow! Awesome work!

[BobMc]

Bravo! Those tracks are certainly grin inducing!

[mc_roon]

AMAZING that you checked off that entire book! seriously, that is quite an accomplishment!

[Clownshoe]

When I see one of your TR's I'm afraid to even click the link.

You are a freak

Well done sir

[_Aaron_]

Nohow skiing super exposed lines with his giant balls. What else is new?

Props dude, Thats quite the hit list to finish off.

Looking forward to whatever youve got coming next.

[meatdrink9]

WTF. I'm sure your sphincter was ready to open a kissing booth with all that exposure.

Props.

[Meadow Skipper]

Excellent work.

[Conundrum]

Killer job-that's a big list!

[Xover]

Congrats Noah!! Nice job and way to persevere towards your long time goal. Stoked for you my friend!! Also, way to do it in style by getting SC out with you as well to tick the final one.

However, he gets seriously negative MNAR points for wearing a helmet I've seen him do alot scarier shit than that in a baseball hat with no rope, no pro and only 2 whippets His mangina must be dropping with old age

[tetzen]

That's just naaaasteee.

[StraightChuter]

However, he gets seriously negative MNAR points for wearing a helmet

Dude... what's a POV helmet cam without a helmet? Nothing.

Congratulations Noah! That was really cool to finish the last one with you, and right in time for volume 2 - "Just Chute Me."

[Xover]

and right in time for volume 2 - "Just Chute Me."

Is this finally gonna happen?? Can you "publicly" say yet here when it will be out in print?

[Arno]

spicy indeed
and great pics.
congrats - are you retiring now?

[beaterdit]

I like this.

[nohow]

Thanks everybody! It's been an great project!

Future plans are to ski some pow. And there are plenty of things to still attempt around here that aren't in any books, yet. I do think it would be fun to try and 'free' many of the routes that are traditionally rappelled. I know NW Pfeiff has been sidestepped and straight run when it was filled in, but I think it deserves to be 'sent'. Not sure I'm up to the task, but AT skiing has given me a new idea of what I'm possibly capable of, or at least willing to try. Montgomery, NE Pfeiff, NW Pfeiff, Y-not, Hellgate, GWI and Triangle all seem very possible in the right conditions. Might be getting to old myself to sack up and throw down, but that's where my mind has been wondering lately.

Not sure what all this mangina talk is about? Watching Andrew bang in those bolts with his balls was something I'll never forget. I have pics, but they were too big for the internet. Thanks Andrew!

[Trackhead]

Not sure what all this mangina talk is about? Watching Andrew bang in those bolts with his balls was something I'll never forget.

Balls of fucking steel man!

[Trackhead]

Dude... what's a POV helmet cam without a helmet? Nothing.

That was really cool to finish the last one with you, and right in time for volume 2 - "Just Chute Me."

Southern Wasatch................

[Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer]

Wow - great accomplishment! That line is unreal. And I assume Andrew hand-drilled those bolts? Impressive all around.

[ropeless420]

great accomplishment...
How did the route "go" before the bolts were placed. Tat? just curious why at this point in time, the route creator, (I assume) andrew, chose the bolts were necessary.
sorry, I dunno the history of the line..and don't have a copy of the book.

[Lonnie]

Wow. Big props, that's a big list.

I've had the pleasure to ski with Andrew a couple of times. One of the best ambassadors for our sport that I have ever met...

[Trackhead]

great accomplishment...
How did the route "go" before the bolts were placed. Tat? just curious why at this point in time, the route creator, (I assume) andrew, chose the bolts were necessary.
sorry, I dunno the history of the line..and don't have a copy of the book.

I may be wrong, but I think Alex Lowe and Andrew "put the route up". If that was the case, at least in Bozeman, Alex was famous for a "nest of pitons" on some of the ice routes he put up there. So, like the NW Couly of the Pfeiff being retro-bolted, perhaps the same holds true for the soon to be ultra-classic NE couloir.