Skiing Mt. Moran’s Skillet & Sickle

Alex ripping the top of the Skillet.

A quick hitter trip to Mt. Moran in Grand Teton National Park in which we skied a couple of classic lines. After dinner and beers at the usual place in Jackson, we drove to the northern part of the park to start the skin across the lake. Guided by moonlight, we arrived, set up camp and we were in our bags by around 11:30. Alarms went off at 3:30AM for day one.

Early light on the ascent up the Skillet Glacier.

Mike and the Grand Teton.

Hidden Couloir on Thor Peak.

After a beautiful and uneventful climb up the east face of Moran, we arrived at the top four and a half hours later... well, I arrived a couple of minutes after Mike and Alex. We skied sheltered pow 5700 vertical feet all the way back down to Jackson Lake and camp. What a way to nab this uber classic line. Some people are calling it one of the 50 classic descents in North American. I'll agree!

Mike is the first to drop the Skillet.

Easy Pow halfway down the Skillet.

Mt. Moran from the base of the Skillet.

The rest of Tuesday was spend lounging and relaxing, and trying to eat as much food and drink as much water as we could to prepare for day 2.

Early glow working up to the base of the Sickle.

Mike at the base of the Sickle.

Our goal for day 2 was the Sickle, a lesser known couloir on Moran. I'm not sure how this guy gets overlooked but it sure is a gem! It's a typical Teton Couloir, steep and big! I'm guessing a sustained 45 degrees and clocking in at 3140 vertical feet to the apron. With perfect bootable snow, Alex and Mike made quick work of the climbing with me off the back again. Those 2 guys can really go uphill. Once we reached the top, winds picked up and weather started rolling in. So much for an epic pow run. It was game on, survival ski mountaineering, don't 'effing fall skiing complete with spindrift and a river of sluff working its way down the center of the couloir keeping you on your toes.

Weather rolling in at the top of the Sickle.

...and we are out!

We made it back to camp, and, after a couple of motivational slugs of whiskey, we packed up camp and made the death march of a six mile skin back across the lake to find burgers and beers in Jackson. We then skipped town like we stole something, and arrived back in Breckenridge at 2:30 AM that night.