Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
On April 24th Reed and I got denied in Mount Wister's Chockstone Couloir, more commonly known as the Northwest Couloir, attempting a top-down ski descent. Useful for the next descentionist?
The North Face of Peak 10,686 is home to one of the most striking ski mountaineering lines north of Mount Moran. A beautiful, meditative, solo day in the north end.
On Sunday April 16th I reconnected with Reed Finlay for an interesting powder redemption tick in Colter Canyon, the surprisingly exciting North Couloir of Leek's Peak.
On Wednesday April 12th, Connor James and I got caught in a storm atop Mount Owen's Northeast Snowfields. We down-climbed the lower East Ridge and made a successful ski descent, my second and partner's first, of the Diagonal Couloir into Cascade Canyon.
The Black Hole Couloir is a 2,500 foot snake-like, and quite narrow, couloir on the north aspect of Eagles Rest Peak in Waterfalls Canyon. A long approach is rewarded with a truly unique Teton descent. Bonus recon shots of Darkness Falls.
The Overlooked Couloir is the lower NW Couloir on Nez Perce, topping out a few hundred feet above the East/West Hourglass's and sporting a sustained 50 degree slope for over 400 feet, above a cliff with a low crux - no falls accepted - an interesting consolation prize, and first personal descent, in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon.
On Saturday I enjoyed a Garnet Canyon/Glacial Gulch link-up, skiing the Dike Snowfield to Teton Glacier, climbing to the Tallboy Col and eventually skiing the rarely descended SE face of Peak 11,751 (East summit of the East Prong). Both descents were personal firsts, a great day in the hills.
The West Hourglass Couloir begins at 11,400 feet on the West Ridge of Nez Perce, averaging about 1,000 feet of 40 degree fall-line couloir skiing with a 50 degree crux, and an even longer runout. In full, the line is quite simply 2,200 feet of Teton bliss, an absolute classic Teton powder descent. The striking... Continue Reading →
A first hand account of a "bomber" piton ripping from a rappel anchor while ski mountaineering in the remote necks of Grand Teton National Park. Amidst a growing climate of "two-piece" alpine anchors, this article presents a compelling argument for placing a third, especially when pitons are involved. Carl rappelling from four-pieces in the Tallboy's... Continue Reading →
On December 16th I got out for my first steep ski of 2022/23 in the ever-popular Four Hour Couloir on Shadow Peak. Not surprisingly it was well hacked by at least three parties, but the snow was soft enough for an enjoyable and quick morning lap before heading off to Utah for Christmas break. This was my third time skiing the Four Hour. Recon photos of the Sliver Couloir included.
Ten Thousand Too Far 