Tag Archive for 'backcountry skiing Utah'

Untouched

Published on January 31, 2012 by a ok.

For a change, finally got onto some snow conditions that were near perfect and didn’t involve any rocks. A few tight turns through narrow spots amongst trees perhaps – and quite a few GS style turns through only slightly more widely spaced trees – but nothing too ski damaging.

A slice of scenery.

That, combined with the untouched nature of the snow, made for a magnificent day of hunting powder laps. As the day’s partner Jason Borro noted, it wasn’t two feet of blower. But it was consolidated, supportable, super soft finery beneath our ski boots. Naturally, because Continue reading ‘Untouched’

Located in 03 Adventures and Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Answering the Question

Published on September 17, 2011 by a ok.

I began tetonsandwasatch (t&w) for a number of reasons, one of which I long ago mentioned in the Origins section of this site. The reason then given? To present a more fully complete answer to a question which has been posed to me in various forms by many people. Despite the numerous variations, the question has essentially boiled down to, ‘Why do you ski in the backcountry?’

A slice of the backcountry.

Few people have ever questioned why I ski; I think even non-participants intuitively understand that skiing is fun. But the unstated portion of the question revolves around bafflement of why I, or others, would choose to make turns in the wild, untamed mountains, removed from the safety of a controlled ski area environment. You know, a ski resort, complete with chairlifts, ski patrol, warming huts, well plowed parking lots, marked hazards, and signs to keep one from getting lost.

The inquiry only seems to come from non-snow users (non-skiers), or from resort users. I cannot think of a time that a backcountry user has posed any of the variants of the question, as we stood knee deep in the fresh snows of the backcountry. Of course, in such situations, it can be hard not to occasionally mention how much one enjoys the present environment. Many a mountain moment has been filled with discussions of why backcountry skiing is so fun, but none have been precipitated by an inquiry as to why we’re out there.

There are, as you might expect, many answers to the question. Ostensibly, past posts that I’ve written about particular ski outings have posed their own individual answers. Regardless, I want to more fully, and more directly, answer the question. It’s with this in mind that I created a series of answers to present. They are by no means the only reasons, or even the best reasons, that I have chosen to regularly ski in the Teton or the Wasatch backcountry. But they are some of the reasons.

I hope they help those who do not now understand, to find some comprehension of a sport that can appear to involve great risk. And further, to understand why I so rarely say ‘yes’ to the numerous invites to ski inbounds. If reading the reasons (ie., fresh powder) wets your appetite to set your edges in the backcountry, then I’m probably working ever so slightly against myself there.. Although I know the mountains suffer from syndromes such as Wasatch crowding, (that is ever so slightly tongue-in-cheek) there is room for another user or two.

For those of you who already get it, and are out there in the backcountry – sometimes even with me – perhaps you’ll have a chuckle or two. Perhaps we’ll just have a meeting of the minds as you read.

Here follow (the first) dozen reasons why I enjoy skiing in the backcountry. Enjoy!

1 Open Terrain

2 A Sense of Accomplishment

3 Diversity

4 The Sense of Adventure

5 Health and Fitness

6 No Set Hours

7 Challenge

8 Price

9 Powder

10 No Rules

11 Serenity

12 The Experience

Located in 01 Origins of Website, 11 Perspective, Tetons and Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , , .

The 2010/2011 Ski Season in Pictures

Published on August 16, 2011 by a ok.

Ah, the middle of August. A good time to reflect on less brutally hot times. That’s not too hard to accomplish when you’ve brought a camera along for many days of fun skiing on the snow. These may not all be the best pictures I (and others) took this year, but they’re among my favorites. Each one brings back plenty of memories. Good stuff. And a fine way to cool off in the heat..

We began the year with much the same ideal as we ended it - 'we don't need much snow to call it skiing.' Andy on the ridge between Sugarloaf and Devil's Castle.

I still think 'complete trust' sums up this shot just fine.

Well, I'll be...! Jason Borro was probably the first person to set foot into the Northwest Couloir of the Pfeifferhorn this season.

J-Bo rappels the Hellgate Couloir.

Andy Coyle is a funny guy no matter how you slice it. He set up this shot.

Red Baldy, rimed.

Zach Guy comes face to face with Jungle-whacking in the PNW.

A OK about to disappear over the edge, on the Pfeifferhorn. Pic by Jason Borro.

Jon Swain drives it down the Hallway.

Cold, lonely, and single. I'm talking about the tree. Zach Guy adds some companionship..

White Baldy ridge.

Andy Dorais takes to the backside of the Question Mark wall.

Fine scenery on Timpanogos.

Jason Dorais climbs a chimney. I'm giving it a 10 on the butt shot meter!

At least this tree has some company.

Matthew Turley on the other end of a camera for a change. West face of Timpanogos.

Greg Foster opens up a clogged chimney in a rime blasted winter wonderland.

Jason Dorais gets his hop on.

Beware of your neighbors. They may invite you to heaven. Jason Borro on the receiving end of an invite.

AD nearing full submersion in Country Lane.

Starting the day off near unfrozen waters.

Jon Swain sacks it up for his first ski rappel. First with me, at least.

Proving these pictures are in no particular order, this was the scene on July 4th. Aliens took all the people and left all the ski (and board) gear behind. Boy, did they ever get that one wrong!

'Uh, guys, the roof is caving in..' Never has a man pulled on his pants and exited a snow cave so quickly as Zach did following my morning greeting. And why, I wonder, did he have to pull on his pants? Mmm, maybe it was his boots...

Ansel OKeefe on the camera.

Andy Dorais searches for passage over the block on Cioccetti's Ribbon.

This picture still makes me laugh. Jason Dorais getting his inner monkey on.

I saw a lot of Jon Swain's hand(s) this winter.

Sometimes I even glimpsed other body parts. Often, just a powder flume. Or a powder sweater.

If you look close, you'll see JD.

Jon executing a smooth kick turn in a tricky spot on Mount Raymond.

Jon blows it down Red Stack.

Sometimes the stark, cold, grey nature of clouds and the landscape has absolute beauty. Maybe moreso in August, but I doubt that.

It really was that steep, in that section. A OK traversing Cioccetti's Ribbon. Photo by Andy Dorais.

Fresh tracks getting the black and white treatment. A new-to-us line on the Pfeifferhorn.

Timpanogos, from the north.

JD brings it down the lower half of the Pfeiff's NW Couloir.

And who is this avid proponent of lycra outerwear, wearing sensible and warm clothing in the deep mountain snow? None other than Andy Dorais!

JD going for it on Timpanogos.

Sunrise is fine when you've got snow on the mind..

A OK watching the visibility roll out.

The brothers Dorais trot up Provo Peak.

This is where I get all my ideas on lightweight ski clothing. JD getting air over the valley. A lot of air, it seems!

Jon Swain after having laid waste to Main Baldy Chute 9 times. He looked how I felt!

My favorite shot of myself skiing this season. Heading down Y Couloir. Pic by Jason Dorais.

 

 

 

Located in 03 Adventures, 14 Pictorials and Wasatch 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Baldy Main Chute 4X, Plus the Next Wave of Lightweight Gear

Published on July 14, 2011 by a ok.

Here's a primer of Alta's Baldy, with the four most prominent ski descents highlighted. L-R: Perlas, Dog Leg Chute, Little Chute, and Main Chute.

Ah, there’s nothing like a trip up the ole faithful. As the season begins, so the season often ends.. Got out this morning to make some turns down Main Chute on Baldy. Also on the agenda was to get some vitamin D, as well as to try out some of the new wave of lightweight, fashion based, functional ski wear. Can extraordinarily light fashion be combined successfully with function for the hard charging skier? I wanted to know how far Continue reading ‘Baldy Main Chute 4X, Plus the Next Wave of Lightweight Gear’

Located in 04 Gear I Use, 11 Perspective and Wasatch 3 Comments Tags: , , .

Bighorn & Lone Peak(s)

Published on April 28, 2011 by a ok.

The West face of Bighorn Peak. We skied the skyline to the south (R in the pic).

Skied South sides of Bighorn & Lone Peak with the Brothers Nanga & Dr. Zak. Breathing like an emphysema victim the entire time. Great workout, great skiing! A total of perhaps three miles of hiking on dirt to get to the snow (and later, to the car)? Despite record or near-record snowfall amounts, south aspects have suffered plenty of snow removal. Frozen crust on the way up was followed by breakable crust while skiing Bighorn. Coming down Lone Peak was briefly crusty, followed by seemingly endless fields of well-behaved corn. We gang skied this lower angle mileage, laughing at our 1980′s antics. When was the last time you Continue reading ‘Bighorn & Lone Peak(s)’

Located in Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

Ropeless in the Pfieff’s NW Couloir

Published on April 27, 2011 by a ok.

An uninterrupted green line on the Pfiefferhorn's most often skied attraction. Fun!

In many backcountry skier’s imaginations, there lurk ideas that they would like to pull off one day, if possible. These ideas are diverse. Some examples include: skiing Wyoming’s Grand Teton, skiing the Himalayan Mount Everest, jumping 250+ feet into powder on the back side of Grand Targhee, or even skiing off a large cliff into a wingsuited flight then landing via parachute. Sometimes the vision is huge, comprised of linking up many different peaks, and sometimes smaller. One thing I’ve had in my imagination since shortly after moving to SLC a few years ago was to ski the Northwest Couloir of the Pfiefferhorn ropeless.

Since there is usually a cliff that’s anywhere from 70 feet high in very low snow conditions, to 20-30 feet tall in later season once it’s filled in a bit, I sort of expected there to be some mandatory air involved in the process. As it turns out, Continue reading ‘Ropeless in the Pfieff’s NW Couloir’

Located in 03 Adventures, 11 Perspective and Wasatch 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .