powdherb

Trip: The Triad - Cumshot Couloir Date: 7/13/2008 Trip Report: In order to step it a notch towards the real Sky, Ryan, and Tim and I headed to the land of infinite gnar: Cascade River Road. Our adventures would take us towards the Triad, a set of peaks near Eldorado, the lost city of golden-gnar, to the fabled Cumshot couloir. This chute is stupidly rad; dropping into the marble creek cirque drainage and contained deep in a nasty steep-walled canyon, it drops several thousand feet to the verdant valley floor below. There's one catch: if you keep skiing fall line you ski off a cliff so big you die twice before you hit the ground. After about vf 600 feet down of scary super-steeps you traverse left and continue skiing another couple thousand feet down to the glacier botton. The deproach involves climbing back up out of marble creek and rapelling down back into the cascade river drainage off a radicle col which combines to add up to a nice 9000 vertical foot day of jungle romping and alpine gnar. Climbing up toward the Triad. Dropping. I better have a good life insurance policy if I fall. It was steep. Conditions were primo, though. Entering the final chute. The exit of the canyon. Aiguille du Dorado. Marble Creek Cirque. Stoke Bomb. Arriving at the rap station after slogging over 2k up to the col while avoiding serac tennis. The taleban. Rap station? J-burg. Not bad for like, September or whatever month it is. Gear Notes: Two thin 30m ropes. Life insurance. Approach Notes: Teh suck.

We camped high. I'm assuming a cold spring (we experienced freezing temps at 10,300ft) kept the mosquitos out of the area we camped, which was really nice. We both slept in the open. I would suggest a tent for later in the season. The megamid was a great storm shelter. Much lower than our camp <10,000, the mosquitos would have picked your bones dry by morning. They were So. Damn. Bad. We ran the whole way back.

Trip: TR: Wind River Range, WY - The Steeple, III 5.8 Date: 7/6/2008 Trip Report: After considering the high probability of failure of climbing and skiing the Grand as well as certain death on Pingora, Drew Tabke and I set our sights on the NW Ridge of Steeple mountain. But first, we got lost. Steeple mountain is part of the Wind River Range located in Western Wyoming. It is precisely in the middle of nowhere. After driving for hours on dirt roads, and disturbing the mellow vibe of the 5000 -person attended hippie fest at Big Sandy, we set off up for Deep Creek Lake, or Deep Lake, or whatever. We had no food, water, nor sufficient climbing gear. Drew checking the route. Left skyline. We arrived at camp at about 10,300 feet with an awesome view of the surrounding cirque which included Lost Temple Peak, East Temple, and the mighty Haystack mountain. The granite here is simply phenomenal. The cirque surrounding camp. Haystack. Warbonnet! The route again. Warnbonnet with Pingora and Wolf's head. Fuck. Morning. I'll take some of this for breakfast. The climb was a playground of all features. After a longer-than-expected scramble the ridge, we were treated with views east and a impressive N. ridge. The first pitch was an awesome 5.8 140 ft finger and hand crack. Other highlights included a nice 4th class scramble mid-route followed by a retardedly airy step into the massive great chimney. The chimney is huge and is actually a tunnel that spits you out on the S. side of the mountain. It's simply smashing. As you come out the other side, the last lead is either a long 5.8 hand crack or a very complex but very interesting and fun, spiral staircase toppled slab that tops out in an interesting but fun 15 foot 5.8+ finger crack step. The deproach is cool. It can all be done with a 60m rope (we had a single 8.something) and is 3 nice anchors followed by a complex but cairned but grassy ledge system with some scary slopey moves. Approaching the first pitch. Yeah. It's rad here. The cool mid-climb 4th class section. The insane chimney that spits into oblivion. 1st Rap. 2nd Rap. Zen maze. After the climb we walked out and were followed by a massive thunderstorm and a disgusting swarm of 10,000,000 mosquitos. 12 hours from camp back to car. (approx 16 miles?) Killer climb. Highly recommended. Gear Notes: Bug spray. Codeine. Small rack. Approach Notes: Bug spray. Codeine. Coors.

Looks like nice pow there. Too bad you forgot your skis. They may have prevented slog.

Awesome shots Ryan. It was a kick-ass time. Glad you guys got in another ski. Check out the TGR tr I posted here: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118780