Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
On April 29th, 2025, I skied a rare line on the South Face of the Dike Pinnacle. I'd been dreaming of connecting the dots on this improbable face for many years.
Hayden Evans and I "skied" the Koven Couloir after bailing on a different higher objective. It skied very poorly, as I always assumed it would after having climbed it many times over the past few years. Also, a few reflections on late season ski mountaineering on north facing aspects, and the volatility of spring storm systems.
A short trip report of a unique day summitting Peak 11,840 for my first time and skiing the seductive Southeast Couloir, after bailing from grander objectives due to foul weather.
On April 24th, 2024 I rose early and kept an open solo itinerary that resulted in a link-up of routes on the Dike Pinnacle, South Teton and Wanda Pinnacle. All three routes had been on my radar for years, and it was especially meaningful to link them in a single logical push.
On April 14th I did an unexpected link-up, including a rare summit ski descent of Fairshare Tower's Northeast Ridge, and the Sentinel (not Red Sentinel) and Tallboy Couloirs, some 7000 feet of excellent spring skiing.
On Friday I got out and enjoyed my first GTNP high country ski of the season in Okie's Thorn Couloir, a unique and seldom visited line just northwest of the popular Dike Snowfield.
The Zorro Snowfield is a mythical ski mountaineering descent on the northeast aspect of Spalding Peak, a winding, unintuitive journey down 1,300 feet of steep off-camber ramps underpinned by a monstrous (nearly quarter mile wide) cliff. Sadly, our conditions didn't align for the most stylish descent, but descend we did.
The North Snowfield of Spalding Peak is yet another "steeper than it looks" and overlooked line in the South Fork of Garnet Canyon, complete with a unique summit, and on May 14th was the bearer of rarefied May powder. Skiing from just below 12,240 feet, this line could possibly be the mellowest descent from 12,000 feet in Grand Teton National Park.
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.
Ten Thousand Too Far 