We began skinning at 3am as a group of four, intent on skiing El Diente and maybe Mt. Wilson if things went well. Rick, with whom we had skied Wilson Peak the day before, decided he wanted to sleep in and enjoy a liesure day at camp. Understandable given the day we had prior, and also given the fact that skiing El Diente from Silver Pick involves gaining the Rock of Ages Saddle, twice, and climbing and skiing a steep line on tired legs. Keep reading…
Of all the areas I’ve explored in Colorado thus far the San Juans are undoubtedly my favorite place to adventure. After an awesome tour in Yankee Boy Basin earlier this spring, I was particularly eager to get back down there and visit Navajo again. Partners for this trip ended up being some long-time climbing buddies of mine in Brian, Carl, and Marc, and a mutual friend of ours, Rick, whom I had gotten to know last summer. Keep reading…
Brian, Glen, and I caught a few hours of sleep at the gate closure prior to our 4:30am start. Lucky for us, it was still early enough in the season to have continuous snow from the gate. It was also evident that the area had received a deep overnight freeze, all good omens. After an hour of gliding across a firm crust the sun crept it’s way over the eastern horizon and began to light up the surrounding peaks. Continue reading…
Brian and I met Matt at the bottom of the Tigowon Road at 4am Saturday morning, the last full day of calendar winter. Our sights were set on bagging Holy Cross on skis via it’s classic line, the Cross Couloir. Matt’s Friday afternoon recon mission to 12,000′ above Beaver Creek told the tale of a stable snowpack on north through east facing aspects. The CAIC reported that the recent storm snow had bonded well with the old snowpack, which we knew had been getting baked on east aspects by late winter, higher angle sun for the past two weeks. Keep reading…