TR: "Freestyle Mountaineering"
Mike_Records and I departed from the Climax Mine Trailhead wearing dry-wicking fabrics. We carried Nalgene bottles full of electrolyte infused drinks. Gluten-Free protein bars and form fitting thermal layers filled our packs. An inclinometer and altitude watch were in the mix somewhere. I think we may have stretched for a bit in preparation for our tour. In short, we left the car your run-of-the-mill ski and snowboard mountaineers.
Our Mountaineering Destination:
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We redirected our approach route to comply with private property lines. We set skin tracks at acceptably moderate pitches to maximize efficiency and minimize energy expenditure. We managed body temperatures by proactively shedding layers and made sure to document each phase of the journey to share with online forums later. Steep turns and crampons would mark our day. Ice axes and water-repelling Pants. Upstanding mountaineers, the two of us.
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Mike discovered reactive layers in the Spring snowpack; we changed objectives and terrain, happy to keep the steel front-points of our crampons on snow a little longer. We stepped up Mt. Arkansas' Northeast Couloir uniformly and obediently. The climb was steep though straightforward, with soft snow providing ample purchase for our mountaineering tools. We made our way under and past the looming cornice, happy to stand above an obvious objective hazard.
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We made the summit of Mt. Arkansas, thrilled to check off another peak from our Bi-Centennial list (Colorado's top 200 tallest mountains). Great Success!
As our descent route was receiving direct radiation, and as such losing surface firmness by the minute, we made haste to changeover to downhill mode. Mike dropped into the top of the line first, utilize fine alpine jump turns to manage the steep pitch and heavy snow.
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Once Mike had repositioned himself in a safe zone, he used our predetermined and agreed upon commands to call me down. "CLEAR!" "Ok, dropping!"
I made my down the chute, linking intentional small turns to help manage the pitch, avoid exposed rock, and mitigate my velocity and manage my body's downhill inertia. Soon I was comfortable enough to open it up a bit and make some medium-radius turns on the apron. Mike followed suit, moving with precision and control. Cool stuff! What a fun day!
We couldn't, in good faith to our ethics and responsibilities as mountaineers, continue to climb and ski with lingering instabilities. Our tour would be finished prematurely though responsibly. The mountains had made a decision, and we obeyed. We packed our belongings and left no trace, and then the darndest thing happened. I accidentally steered my splitboard over a small windlip and caught air. What a thrilling sensation! I called to Mike to try our catching some air. Tentatively, he moved towards the edge of the 50cm drop and hopped into the air. "Wow, that was cool as heck!"
It must have been the adrenaline coursing through our veins, but as we looked around the basin we couldn't help but to notice all the wind features. They were everywhere. And they were calling. Encouraging. Drawing us in. They were removed from slide path runouts. They formed on multiple aspects. We had to stay a little longer.
I took off my beacon. Mike tossed his crampons and 38L duel sport compatible pack to the side. I assembled my avalanche shovel for something other than digging pits and saving lives. Mike changed his sport sunglasses for newschool Oakley Goggles. I craved gluten and alcohol. Mike cursed. And the session began.
Mountaineers Figuring out a Quarter Pipe:
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And sending a jump:
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Fuck yes! Inverts and freestyle filled the Arkansas Basin. We jibbed windformed spines. Buttered cornices and tapped rocks. Let our pants fall low and our irreverence increase. Mike flooded a dirt road jibbing an ice damn. I monster trucked through willows for the hell of it.
We returned to the car smelling like hell, goggles over our noses, twin-tipped and wanting tequila and women. We returned freestyle mountaineers.
