[TR] Williams Peak - Idaho - South face ski and climb 3/19/2007

[mccallboater]

Trip: Williams Peak - Idaho - South face ski and climb

 

Date: 3/19/2007

 

Trip Report:

A quick trip from the Sawtooth Mountain Guides hut below the East Ridge of Williams Peak above Stanley to the summit. I'll post more pictures on the album below later. These pictures were taken by Mark Ryan, whom I accompanied along with Tadd Perkins for a delightful moderate climb.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/mccallboater/WilliamsPeakSawtooths

 

We left the hut at 6:30 am, encountered very firm skining up to the top of "Skier's Summit" on the East Ridge, then left our skis to crampon on perfect styrofoam snow across the South Face gullies to the farthest southwest snow gully, which we ascended to the top. We should have carried skis to the top, but instead glissaded 1500 vertical down to the lake, then wallowed up 800' of south-facing knee to waist deep rotten snow in the early afternoon to retrieve our skis. We thankfully could stay out of the inevitable afternoon slides.

 

The east-facing ski back down to the hut was really fun. The hardest skiing of the trip was the "expert" snowplowing required through breakable rotten snow on the trip back down to the car on the summer trail. Leg-breaker scary.

 

Gear Notes:

For me, mountaineering boots and K2's with Silveretta 500's. Crampons and ice ax. Mark and Tadd were using regular AT boots and Tele boots, respectively. I think I had an easier time of it on the sidehill ice, but it all worked.

 

Approach Notes:

Timing is everything. Start early.