TR: Pfeifferhorn 12-24-04 - wish I would've had the whippet...
...but I did just fine without it. There we were, my buddy Rich and I,
at the col between Maybird and the Pfeifferhorn looking up at the SE face
and wishing we'd brought our ice axes or better yet, my whippet. "It's not
that I'm scared of falling while I'm skiing down, it's that I'm scared of not
being able to stop should I fall while climbing up - or having something pull
out and pull me with it,” I comment to Rich.
The SE face of the Pfeifferhorn (known on some maps as Little Matterhorn Peak), wasn't really our destination as we set out from the White Pine parking lot that morning. We had talked of bagging a peak, but more than anything I just wanted to explore the upper reaches of Red Pine and Maybird, areas I had never seen let alone skied. But I think Rich knew exactly where we were headed. As we gained elevation and spotted many glades of creamy untracked powder, I'd suggest stopping to make some turns but Rich would just say, "Oh let's keep this in mind for later". Yea, later.
The vistas were amazing, with untracked peaks and steep rocky slopes all around. The lack of people in this slice of paradise was even more amazing. The higher we skinned, I couldn't help but look back at our skin track searching for the inevitable party of skiers, but the inevitable never came. In fact, after the bridge at Red Pine, we'd not see another person until we got back to the car, 6 hours later.
Coming out of the trees
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...h_RedPine1.jpg
We emerged from the trees to a sub ridge that led us around the lake to the upper reaches of Red Pine. The route we would take to the ridgeline at the back of the bowl was obvious, so Rich and I skinned in silence, just the sound of the wind drifting snow to keep us company. Off to the west we could see the tip of the Pfeifferhorn, a craggy imposing peak. The view we had offered little encouragement or opportunity to actually ski the thing, let alone climb it.
Up and beyond
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...h_RedPine2.jpg
The target
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...rhorn_view.jpg
The wind picked up the higher we got, until it was a full-fledged 25-35 mph wind, with gusts around 40. Near the ridge we shouldered our skis to boot up the rocky rib where alas we hoped to gain refuge from the blasting of graupel and ice particles that were putting the hurt on any exposed skin, primarily our faces.
Once on the other side of the ridge, we were basking in the relative calm of this the lee side. I just so happened that this was the south side and with the bluebird skies we dug in for a bit of some needed lunch and sunshine. Now that we were on the ridgeline, I wondered what our target would be as an entirely new world had opened up to the East, South, and the West. "Go West young man," took on new meaning with the SE face of the Pfeifferhorn looking ripe for the taking.
We skinned as far as we could go, and then put our skis on our packs and negotiated the knife ridge of that defines the ground between Maybird Peak and the Pfeifferhorn, all the while the SE face looming above us. I'm not sure if it was the face itself, looking icy and firm, or if it was the enormous cliffs that guarded the bottom of the face making it a certain no-fall zone. A slim and narrow passage on the skier’s right of the face allowed the only entrance and exit, one not to be missed. Either way, we tentatively started up the face, keeping close to the East ridge.
Rich at the col
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...erhorn_col.jpg
Rich - halfway up the face
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...ridgeclose.jpg
Kicking steps up the skiers right of the face, just off of the East ridge, we made our way towards the summit, being greeted along the way by a firm crust with patches of wind deposited snow. Although we didn't take a reading on the slope angle, we estimated the top near 55-60 degrees. Alas, the journey was half way over. Unbeatable views of the Wasatch was our reward, as far as Nebo to the South, Deseret Peak to the East and the Salt Lake Twins just beyond our reach to the North and beyond.
Me on the summit
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...all_summit.jpg
Rich on the summit
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...ch_summit2.jpg
NW Coulior from the summit - the next objective (Xover - you ready?!?)
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski..._NWCoulior.jpg
Rich - first turns and more
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...ich_start3.jpg
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...rhorn_Rich.jpg
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...horn_Rich5.jpg
Those first few turns were actually quite fluid, particularly surprising given the fact that it was the first turns for my new Kahru Jaks. Not a bad way to break in a new pair of skis. Exhilaration! As I arrived back to the col where Rich awaited, we shared the traditional "click, click" of the poles, as skiers, our version of the "high-five".
One last look at her
http://www.feedthehabit.com/pics/ski...orn_scenic.jpg
I wish I could say the turns down the apron of the NE face were knee deep pow, but they weren't. Variable? Something like that. Heading down Maybird Gulch, veering skiers right all the way to make our rendezvous with the Red Pine trailhead, I stopped for one last glimpse of what we'd stolen, knowing full well that the Pfeifferhorn rarely gives up turns on her flanks. Indeed this was the pre-Christmas present I was lucky enough to open before Santa delivered the rest of the gifts.
