Sunday, March 30, 2008

Winter Ascent

Jesper and I completed our very first winter ascent this past Saturday (March 29, 2008). We have been up in the mountains in the summer when the weather has turned winter-like, but this was the first time we went up to bag a peak in what we knew would be consistent winter conditions.

Our goal was the top of a 13,841 foot high unnamed peak located in the Tenmile Range. The peak is next to the 13,950 foot high mountain called Pacific Peak, therefore the unnamed peak we climbed is unofficially known as "Atlantic" Peak. To orient folks not familiar with Colorado's various mountain ranges, the Tenmile Range is near the ski resorts of Copper Mountain and Breckenridge. Our peak is in the center of the picture below (courtesy 13ers.com).


We picked this peak for our first attempt at a true winter ascent because we thought it would be a good one to practice our winter navigation and figure out how best to use our winter gear. The trail wasn't too long, so we were fairly confident we could complete it in one day, barring any emergencies. But the climb also boasts some challenges in terms of weather and sketchy ridgelines, so we knew it wouldn't be a cake walk.

In the spring time, sun baked snow can become more avalanche prone. So, we were up at 4:30 am and driving up to the trail head a little after 5:00 am. Ouch - that's early in my book! Several other groups were getting ready to make the climb when we arrived at the trial head a little after 7:00.

We started out before 8:00 on the jeep road that starts the approach wearing snowshoes and avalanche transievers, and carrying a whole lotta other gear: shovels, probes, ice axes, crampons, helmets, first aid kit, fire starter/matches/lighter, GPS units, walkie-talkies, food, water and extra clothes . The packs were kinda heavy! The trail was hard packed until we turned off into Mayflower Gulch, where we were the first to make trail. The views from this valley were breathtaking.

We next ascended the broad start up "Atlantic" Peak's west ridge. This was the slope we were most concerned about from an avalanche perspective, especially if the day got sunny and warm. We didn't have to worry; it got no where close to sunny and warm. This slope is a scree field, but there was so much snow that we were able to wear our snowshoes up quite a ways. After awhile, it became talus and mixed snow/ice, so we swapped the snowshoes for our ice axes and helmets, also donning more clothes, since the wind was really picking up and the temps were dropping. We were getting back into winter again.

To avoid the howling wind, we first tried to avoid going up to the ridgeline, where we would be blasted full force. However, we found our rate of travel much too slow on the rocks so we sucked it up and got on the ridgeline. The forceful wind stung our faces and made it challenging to do anything that required us to take our gloves off. The ridgeline gets pretty skinny in several places, like a knife edge. The steep drop down either side would send you very far to your death if you weren't able to self-arrest with your ice ax. A lot of people I know would freak out if they had to walk on this ridgeline, especially with 50 or 60 mile per hour winds. Jesper and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The knife edge sections of the ridgeline were interspersed with rocky sections we had to scramble up or sections with crusty snow. We were impressed with how useful our ice axes were! I don't think I'd try a climb like this without one. We made it to the summit at about noon; four hours of climbing. It was cold, windy and a complete white out at the top. We were unable to appreciate the incredible views from the top that we'd read about, although part of me likes it that the weather was so gnarly. We did not stay on the summit for long, since we started getting cold fast. We essentially reversed our route and headed back down.

Usually, going down a mountain is a lot faster than going up. Not so in the winter when there's blowing snow and snow and ice on the rocks. It took us a little more than 3 hours to descend and return to the trail head. Because we had left our goggles in the car like knuckleheads, our eye lashes were frozen and we could barely open our eyes at some points when the wind was blasting little ice pellets in our faces. Won't make that mistake again!

Because of the strong winds, we didn't take a lunch break while on the climb. As soon as we got back to the car, I put my gear away and donned my big puffy down coat. I sat in the front seat of the Durango with my heated seat in HIGH, drinking hot tea and eating my exquisite lunch: Cheese, Pita Chips and Jerky. I can't tell how delicious that meal tasted!

I'm really pleased with how well our ascent went. Jesper and I did almost everything right, and the few things we did wrong were minor and will be corrected on our next winter ascent. Please check out Jesper's write-up and pictures here: http://jesperperl.com/words/atlantic-peak/

Monday, March 24, 2008

New Mountain

This past Easter weekend, Jesper and I headed up to Jackson Hole for some Wyoming skiing. It was probably the last big ski weekend for us this wonderful 07/08 season. We couldn't have ended on a better note.

We awoke Friday morning to what looked to me like
no new snow down in the Village, but Elliot (our host) informed me that loads of snow had fallen on the mountain. It was a POWDER DAY!!! Elliot succumbed to pressure and joined Jesper and me on tele skis. At the end of the day, he proclaimed it to have been his best day ever on tele skis! I can barely find words to describe how good it was. In fact, I was almost speechless the entire day while we skied. I am rarely speechless. All I could do was mumble over and over again, "this is the most snow I've ever skied in". And it was. Jackson had seen about 40 inches of new snow the several days prior to our arrival and Thursday night's snowfall put them close to the 60 inch mark for the week. Elliot lead us all over the mountain to one fresh powder slope after another. Down in the tele-stance, the fluffy snow came up over my waist, caressing my thighs and hitting me in the face. We bombed down steep slopes and through tree glades with ease, our speed moderated by more than a foot of powder. I'm still not completely sure where we went, since it was a complete whiteout the entire day. We skied a long day of many hard runs, but took almost no pictures; we were having too much fun to stop and get the cameras out (plus it was cold and windy).

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny. It wouldn't be a powder day, but it would be a blue bird day. I was excited that I'd be able to see the spectacular views Jackson Hole boasts. I also might be able to figure out where I was on the mountain!
Elliot said it was the clearest day he had ever seen at Jackson Hole. Jesper and I, joined by Elliot once again on his tele skis, decided to start the day out by booting up to the Headwall. This area had been closed the previous day, so none of the powder had been disturbed. We opted for the shorter, but steeper route up just above the gondola. Once up on the headwall, we hiked out to find some freshies. And we certainly found freshies. The run was worth the price of the lift ticket alone. The snow was flying up over my head, getting my face wet. My skis just floated on nothingness. It was spectacular! This time we got the cameras out. Here's a link to Jesper's write-up and excellent shots (a few of them mine): http://jesperperl.com/words/jackson-hole/

The final day, Sunday, Jesper and I skied alone half a day. It was another blue bird day, but we didn't stop to take pictures. After about 4 hours on the slopes, it was time to head back down to Boulder. Our legs were pretty worn out anyway. Nine hours later, we were back in Boulder, happy to have gone but also happy to be home.

Jackson Hole, we will be back!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Bruce!

This is my very dear friend Doug Tupps (Senior picture in 1982). I met Doug in 1978, in the 9th grade. I was 14. He looked even younger then! Doug no longer parts his hair down the middle. We met a long time ago, but Doug and I have managed to stay in touch all these years.

Doug and I, along with our friend Marita, hung out, partied, drank beer and did all other manner of juvenile things through High School. Despite being distracted by things our parents wouldn't have approved of, we all three got excellent grades. We also watched a lot of Monty Python and called each other BRUCE.

I also have known Doug's wife Michelle from High School. Doug, Michelle, Marita, and my sister Chris are really the only people from High School I stay in touch with. After college, we all hung out together drinking beer and eating chicken wings, doing more things our parents would have disapproved of, until we started dispersing across the country.

Doug and Michelle now live in Florida and I live in Colorado. But we still get together every year or so, usually to ski. Obviously, they come here for that! They were just here and I got to ski with them several days. They do a great job on the slopes, especially when you consider that they only get out one time each year.

I haven't visited them in many years, but I am planning to head down to Florida for my college homecoming this fall. Doug is going to teach me how to surf. It will be my turn to be out of my element.

I'm looking forward to it BRUCE!

more pics from their trip here: http://picasaweb.google.com/COIttyBittyBetty/BruceComesToCO