TR: While the rest of the world was sleeping.... 5.27.05
The other side of the pass part II
5.27.05
Z, iskibc
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0129%7E0.jpg
I didn't have to be in for work until 10 AM this morning so I called up Z the night before and discussed the plan with him. Meet at the top of the pass at 5 AM, hit the summit shortly after sunrise, hit the coulie, climb back out, back to the car by 9 AM, and step into the office by 9:59 AM. In a perfect world that plan would work out.
Met up with Z before first light and we quickly geared and started skinning up the bulletproof track.
About 2/3 of the way up we ran out of snow and had to boot the rest of the way up. We made the summit just as the sun was rising over the low-lying fog down in the valley and city below:
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0137.jpg
A nice crisp morning with a wonderful overnight freeze.
Z just waking up, I think:
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0138.jpg
We scoped out the couloir from different angles to see if the choke was actually as narrow as it appeared. It was.
No more than 3-4' wide and 20 or so feet long, it was going to be interesting skiing down that section before the snow got a chance to corn up. We waited a little while to see if the sun would hit the choke section, but the shadows remained put.
Z dropped in first and made some nice jump turns all the way down to the beginning of the choke.
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0140.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0141.jpg
I followed and was surprised how quickly the snow had softened up.
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0134.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0135.jpg
Just enough to hold an edge, yet still very slick. The heat radiating from the rock walls around us did wonders to the snow.
The choke was very interesting. I shouldn't have brought out the 195cm fatties for this one. Each turn my tails scraped the walls.
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0143.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0144.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0142.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0145.jpg
Shortly after the choke the couloir opened up nicely and the snow was amazing.
Z glad to be out of the choke:
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0147.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0148.jpg
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...cs/Cnv0150.jpg
It felt great to hit the line we had turned back on earlier in the winter. We boot packed out and parted ways as my time was quickly running out.
Nothing like snagging a thousand or so feet before work on a Friday.
