TR: 5.2.04 Quandary Peak

[iskibc]

5.2.04


http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0001.jpg

The Cristo couloir is a classic 14er ski descent mostly due to it's relatively easy access, great views, and unique 2,500 foot vert fall line that has a natural quarter pipe down skier's right.

First of all the views:

To the North:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0011%7E0.jpg

To the South:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0010%7E0.jpg

To the West:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0008%7E0.jpg

East Side and approach:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0004.jpg

The approach is very straightforward and 'easy' for a 14er. There are no technical spots along the approach and the skinning is pretty mellow due to the gradual and long incline up the ridge. It's about a 3.5 miles from the trailhead to the summit, with a 3,600 foot gain in elevation. Not too bad. However, the lack of O2 in the air will always be a challenge when tackling a 14er.

Funken with the summit in the distance:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0007.jpg

Figure Eleven making his way up past the first false summit:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0002.jpg

Funken along the ridge:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0005.jpg

Summit:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0012%7E0.jpg

[splat]

edit: What were the verts on that?

[Blurred Elevens]

I woke up at like 9:30 this morning bro. Sorry I missed you guys...I'm patiently awaiting the TR. Who all went?

[iskibc]

Making Turns......

The Cristo couloir has a nice sustained pitch from top to bottom. We were able to ski directly from the summit and the couloir had great coverage all the way down to the Blue Lakes Damn. The snow was sweet and creamy corn. Perfect for some fast GS turns and tired legs.

Figure Eleven:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0018.jpg

Funken:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...al_Cnv0016.jpg

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0023%7E0.jpg

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0024%7E0.jpg


Figure Eleven:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0020%7E0.jpg


Funken electrified:

http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...nv0019%7E0.jpg

Great day with great skiers. Good times. Still plenty of snow to push around up in the hills, so get out there CO maggs.

[FigureEleven]

Iskibc, Funken, and myself made up the Quandary group. I will let iskibc make the TR though... since he has the pictures. Then i will embelish as needed... It was a great day though, capped off by seeing the Canonball stragglers ripping west on I-70.

[shamrockpow]

Originally posted by Blurred Elevens
I woke up at like 9:30 this morning bro. Sorry I missed you guys...I'm patiently awaiting the TR. Who all went?

At least you didn't devote a whole thread to this TR before you woke up late

[summit]

WOW! KICKASS! WTG GUYS! That looked like it was so much fun!!!

Good pics! I wanna see more!!!

Man! I wish someone had clued me in! I woulda loved to have joined you... and it woulda given me some motivation... pretty much wasted today.

We should do Dead Dog!

[Blurred Elevens]

Thanks for the stoke you guys! How long did it take you guys to summit? How was the slog out? Who is the fourth person in the group?

[iskibc]

Originally posted by Blurred Elevens
Thanks for the stoke you guys! How long did it take you guys to summit? How was the slog out? Who is the fourth person in the group?

Took us about 2:45 from trailhead to summit. Not a bad slog at all. Few false summits, which are never pleasant.

Slog out was kind of a bitch. Ended up walking down Monte Cristo road for about 1.5 miles or so. We ran out of snow to ski on. If you are gonna do it, park one car as far as you can up near the damn (monte cristo road) and the other up at the trailhead. You will shave some time and foot pain (ouch, my 8 year old boots mangled my toes today).

No 4th person, just my dog. That was some random guy snowboarding solo.

Scummit, sorry about that man, will let you know next time. We spotted some sweet lines off Lincoln and Democrat today. Possibility for next weekend.

[snow2knight]

Originally posted by SummitCo 1776
and it woulda given me some motivation... pretty much wasted Dead Dog!

Damm would have been fun, sure were dogged.

[Pinner]

Ahhh yes, the Cristo (aka "Pinner is a Beater") Couloir. Love it. http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

Could you ski the road back out from the dam?

[iskibc]

Originally posted by Pinner
Ahhh yes, the Cristo (aka "Pinner is a Beater") Couloir. Love it. http://tetongravity.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

Could you ski the road back out from the dam?

heh.

We were able to ski about .25 mile from the damn, then it was patchy. A Chevy pick-up got stuck in 3+ feet of snow trying to go over one of those patches . We helped for an hour, but it wasn't getting out without a winch or a lift. With the weather coming in, that road should be driveable all the way to the damn by next Sunday.

[FigureEleven]

Iskibc, I never got a chance to thank you for taking all of those pictures and booting up to your truck. Today's trip was sick, thanks again.

Note to drivers: Firm frozen and easy to drive on snow in the morning turns into truck devouring bottomless slush in the afternoon. We got some guys fullsize truck unstuck, only to have it sink up to its axles in the next patch of snow. Six of us worked for about an hour to no avail on that one. Funken even lugged some torso sized rocks around to put under the wheels, and wins the toughman award for the day. After iskibc took off to get his truck, funken and I ran into an xterra that was stuck as well. Four of us managed to get that one going again. It was carnage up the road to the dam. There was even a snowmobile bent around a tree.

[Idris]

Nice.....anything gonna be left up there in september?

[homerjay]

Originally posted by Idris
Nice.....anything gonna be left up there in september?

No.

iski, didn't get the msg. until this am. glad you guys had fun.

[3o3]

awesome pics and report. looks like a fun place.

[iskibc]

Originally posted by Idris
Nice.....anything gonna be left up there in september?

It's not looking good. Snowpack is looking more like our June pack of last year right now. A few warm weeks will kill what we have left. Some of the glaciers will be skiable, but not pleasant. You planning on coming out again Tom?

[Blurred Elevens]

Bumpnig fourteener stoke!

[shera]

Wonderful! That's my backyard. Quandry, Lincoln, Kennedy, Bross. Not a bad pile of rocks...

Dave, you've put 14ers into my head. I've been staring at a poster with a bunch of them. Matter of fact, I'm going to do one today.