Come April, May, and June in North America, reliable weather forecasts for ski mountaineering are fickle, and the parameters for good ski conditions tighten. Here's my strategy for planning a great day out.
Sneak Attack – Northeast Face of Mount Woodring – Grand Teton Nat. Park, WY (04.06.25)
The Northeast Face of Mount Woodring is an unassuming, yet intricate and at times rather severe, 3,000 foot ski descent tucked away in the deep recesses of Leigh Canyon.
“Not Many Have Skied This Line” – South Couloir – Albright Peak – GTNP, WY (ARCHIVES – 03.15.2024)
The South Couloir of Albright Peak, not to be confused with the massive "Southeast Couloir" drainage running directly to Phelps Lake, is a 3,000 foot fall-line descent with a variety of terrain, including a quirky approach, exposed entry, and a few tight chokes that may or may not beckon a rope.
Another Season Ender on the Grand Teton – Ford-Stettner Couloir – GTNP, WY (06.11.24)
My sixth ski descent of, and third consecutive year ending my ski season on, the Grand Teton. This time I was accompanied by first time Grand Teton skier Connor Reithmayr, and we caught the Ford Couloir in nothing short of perfect corn.
JUNE CORN! – Table Mountain and Peak 10,650 (Video TR) – Jedediah Smith Wilderness, WY (06.01.24)
A video trip report from June 1st, when Bobbi Clemmer and I enjoyed what can only be called a magical day of late spring corn skiing. We connected the North Bowl of Table Mountain and the West Ridge of Peak 10,650 for 7,000 feet of type one fun.
West Side Steeps – North Face of Mount Bannon – Jedediah Smith Wilderness, WY (05.31.24)
On Friday May 31st I skied the North and South Faces of Mount Bannon in a pleasant eight hour yo-yo tour from Darby Canyon. The 1,000 foot North Face is a loose West Teton "classic" with some steeper than expected pitches and a free-ride feel.
Buck Triple Solo – Skiing the Bubble Fun, Newc and Northwest Couloirs in a Day – Buck Mountain – GTNP, WY (05.20.24)
On May 20th, 2024, I made the third descent of the "Buck Triple", linking the Bubble Fun, Newc and Northwest Couloirs for a near 8,000 foot day of tremendous steep skiing on the north face of Buck Mountain. From what I can gather this is the first time the Buck Triple has been completed solo, and the third descent in total.
May Corn With Bobbi! – East Face of Rockchuck Peak and South Face of Taylor Mountain – Teton Range, WY (May 11 & 12, 2024)
The Alpine Peanut remains motivated to earn her turns well into May. The weekend of May 11th and 12th we skied the East Face of Rockchuck Peak and one of her season projects, the South Face of Taylor Mountain, in perfect corn!
Corn on the East Face! – Teewinot Mountain, GT Nat. Park (05.18.2022)
May 18th, 2022 saw my second summit ski descent of the East Face of Teewinot Mountain. Sustained 45+ degree face skiing above terraced cliffs and a 400 foot wide upper bowl funneling through a ski-width choke characterize this extremely classic Teton ski mountaineering objective. Connor James and I took advantage of the newly cleared Lupine... Continue Reading →
Three Times The Charm – We Finally Found the Tallboy Couloir – Owen/Teewinot Cirque – GT Nat. Park, WY (04.24.22)
The Tallboy Couloir is an underground classic in the Teton steep skiing scene. 4,000 feet of fall-line vertical relief, uber-exposed entrance, 1,000 feet of sustained 50 degree skiing in a commanding, narrow and consequential upper couloir, all in the shadows of two of the Teton's finest peaks, Mount Owen and Teewinot Mountain - need I... Continue Reading →