Archive for the 'Wasatch' Category

7 Summits Presentation

Published on May 16, 2012 by a ok.

Check out a compelling story at Black Diamond’s Salt Lake City based retail store Thursday night, May 17th, at 7 p.m. as Johnny Collinson recounts his successful efforts to summit the highest point on each continent. Not just another hardman or hardwoman ‘7 Summits’ presentation, this story will present the journey through the eyes of a kid. See, Johnny started very young, and nabbed the last of the 7 summits by the age of 17. Surely there will be something to be learned about achieving a higher level of determination and focus than average.

As for backstory, the Collinson family has been based out of Snowbird, Utah where Johnny’s dad has been on the Snowbird patrol and helping lead snow safety efforts since the 80’s. When the snow melted, the family headed out in a van to climb on distant peaks. Summer and winter, these folks were in the mountains..

In an age where electronics just might be keeping average kids from experiencing any sort of deep relationship with the outdoors personally – other than through YouTube videos – it’s bound to be a more inspiring story than average.

Admission is free. Shopping at Black Diamond is not.

Located in 11 Perspective, 12 Random and Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , .

Pinball Alley (and Friends)

Published on May 14, 2012 by a ok.

Pinball Alley. Not a very wide alley.

Landed a decent photo of Pinball Alley when I was on Cardiff Peak with J-Bo last week, and it looked continuous upon inspection. Why wait? The days aren’t getting any shorter or colder. I proferred ski options during the invite process. Jason offered his own, suggesting ‘continuous pow.’ Hmm. Presuming that he preferred to avoid using the lengthy shoelaces for a descent, we agreed easily upon Mount Superior’s Pinball. It was a good choice, even if it didn’t offer either of his chosen descriptors.

We met up at the Park n Ride at 7am, and, following a quick drive up the canyon, were quickly in position to ascend. We agreed that booting looked favorable, and left skins in the auto. Some mixed walking – snow, then talus, then snow again – found us at the base of the couloir in short order. We donned crampons, pulled out ice axes, and began to ascend. Because there are shadows cast on the looker’s left half of the line, we found that snow to be quite firm. The snow on the right half was soft corn. Sticking Continue reading ‘Pinball Alley (and Friends)’

Located in 03 Adventures, Going Light(er) Fast(er) Far(ther) and Wasatch 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Sugarloaf East Face

Published on May 14, 2012 by a ok.

Sugarloaf's East face.

Ever since a very snow-sparse adventure ski outing with Andy early in the 2010/2011 ski season, in which we both looked down Sugarloaf’s East face from the summit and wondered if the line were continuous, I’ve had my eye on returning to ski it. (Fortunately, we correctly guessed that it was not continuous, an obvious fact to Alta regulars) Once we skied around to a different vantage point, the sweetness of the line was a little more apparent, as was the need for a little ropework.

It’s been over a year and a half, but the stars finally aligned to enable a descent. It might not have taken so long, but Continue reading ‘Sugarloaf East Face’

Located in 03 Adventures and Wasatch 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

North Face Cardiff Peak

Published on May 10, 2012 by a ok.

Virtually every backcountry skier in the Wasatch passes across the north face of Cardiff Peak at one point or another. It’s the most direct route to Wasatch gems such as Mt. Superior, the Cardiac Ridge, Monte Cristo, and a host of other prime real estate. However, with substantial cliffs bisecting the upper face from the lower, most users don’t travel down the northern fall line from the summit.

Chute the Moon? Whoops, that's the name of a Jackson Hole ski descent...

Since I subscribe to the deeply religious philosophy of, ‘let not that slope go unskied which can be joined by a rope,’ it seemed high time to visit the terrain. The text to Jason Borro read: Short, sweet, steep, with a rappel. 45 min approach. Rarely done if ever. Tomorrow a.m. You in? Some time later I received a three letter, one word answer, rather than a paragraph of demurring explanations. That’s just what I hoped for. It was Continue reading ‘North Face Cardiff Peak’

Located in 03 Adventures and Wasatch 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Skunked

Published on April 20, 2012 by a ok.

I look at today’s outing as having been a test. A test of whether I’d truly learned to implement the ideas learned very recently about pulling the plug in the face of uncooperative weather. Bad conditions, coupled with personal desire, can lead to some discomfort. But when the weather skunks you, the weather skunks you. It’s good to go home and get cleaned up.

Another early morning, another PROBAR breakfast as I drive to the trailhead. The 10 minutes not spent making and eating breakfast at home leads to more sleep! Wonder if anyone will spot what's wrong with this picture?

It appears both I and the day’s partners passed, because we simply stood beneath the impenetrable cloud layer calmly discussing the fact that since we couldn’t see the higher reaches, it would be somewhat silly to trudge into them. Despite being fully laden for Continue reading ‘Skunked’

Located in Wasatch 4 Comments

Recharging

Published on April 19, 2012 by a ok.

With rain all the way to about 8,000 feet this morning, J-Bo and I pulled into the White Pine parking lot and more or less started laughing at the grimness. It’s not funny – in fact it’s quite sad for us skiers – but the situation begged the question: which is more desperate; the conditions, or us?

Wait a minute, we're back in ski areas? Wasn't that how we spent the first half of this winter? With more low vis on the menu, I couldn't complain.

I guess the answer turned into ‘the conditions,’ as we agreed to move higher into the fog, and J-Bo backed up the Subie. We drove up until there was no more road, which also corresponded with a lack of visibility. Considering the

Continue reading ‘Recharging’

Located in 06 Energy Sources, 11 Perspective and Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , .