Rock Climbing – Ice Climbing – Ski Mountaineering
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 our third attempt over two seasons Reed Finlay and I finally made a successful ski descent of Mount Wister's Northwest Couloir. The line may be be small and obscure, but packs a mighty punch.
The West Couloir of Teewinot Mountain is a stellar 5000 foot technical ski adventure on the dark side of the Owen-Teewinot Cirque. On April 11th, 2024, Mike Parri and I caught this elusive line in excellent, nearly ski-through, spring powder conditions.
I've stared at this couloir nearing a decade - a beautiful winding dance down the improbable North Face of Peak 10,696. I naively kept skiing lower hoping the snow would get better... an exercise in edge control.
The North Face of Mount Wister was a visionary ski descent first accomplished by Adam Fabrikant, Billy Haas and Micheal Gardner in the spring of 2023. On April 4th, 2024 I made the second descent, and first solo descent, of this incredible line that will hopefully attract more eyes. This was one of my finest days in the mountains to date.
The Bubble Fun Couloir is on the short list of most demanding steep ski descents in the Teton Range - an 1,100 foot masterpiece that holds 50 degrees for hundreds of feet, pushes 60 degrees in hallway width chokes, and hangs dramatically above Avalanche Canyon with an eerie 200+ foot exit cliff. The stuff of dreams - or nightmares.
The Painted Lady is a rugged, seldom skied novelty descent on the west face of Treasure Mountain - a 2,200 foot descent that involves a gigantic 230+ foot rappel into a narrow slot, and a mandatory air over an ice fall... or epic butt slide. Something like canyoneering, on skis.
My second ski descent, first published on 10K2Far, of a unique, seldom skied, 2,500 foot fall-line adventure on the rugged north face of Treasure Mountain, involving a little rope work, with new partner Hayden Evans.
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.
Ten Thousand Too Far 