Coleman Headwall snow coverage?

[Lix]

Anybody seen the CH in the past few weeks? Maybe even have a photo?

 

Looking to repeat one of my bosses ski descents from the late 80's. Everything I've googled on skiing this line has shown a descent route more towards the Roman Nose and then cutting skiers right about 800' feet down or so.

 

The OG took it right from the top down the upper headwall (the part that makes you want to ski the line anyway). He reported minimal ice and getting through the top crack was trivial. He showed me a picture taken by his wife from the glacier below as he skied solo. Looked pretty straight forward though forshortened. He also skied it in July. Hmmm . . .

 

 

Now that crack seems to be the prime reason folks have been starting from atop the RN. With this seasons deep pack and last summers cool temps, would that crack be as filled in as it's going to get?

[Ron Mexico]

In May of last year I saw two skiers take a pretty straight line. Veered to the skiers right towards the bottom to avoid the ice cliffs/crevasses. The crack I think your talking about was mostly filled.

[AllYouCanEat]

I've skied the line (ron, you saw myself and a friend). Lix, if you would like more info, write me an e-mail. Would love to hear more about your bosses descent! Or any others he did like it back then. Send me an e-mail: cascadecrusades [at] yahoo [dot] com

 

I can give you all the info for skiing this route you'd like. Sure your boss didn't mean the Roman Wall???

 

A friend skied this several years ago by these two routes:

 

I skied this line:

Edited April 3, 2008 by AllYouCanEat

[i_like_sun]

Anyone know of snowboarders dropping this? I've had my eye on this route for quite a while and am trying to get my hands on a splitboard.

 

Skiers certainly have the advantage when it comes to backcountry access.

[AllYouCanEat]

I like sun,

 

I've never heard of any other ski or snowboard descents other than the ones I've mentioned above. Which doesn't mean it hasn't happened. Being such a great steep ski route so easy to get to you'd figure someone would've skied it long ago, such as the guy above, but you never know? People often confuse the roman and coleman headwalls. I would be excited to hear someone did this back then. That would be cool. Hopefully this guy looks this thread back up.

[skykilo]

Being such a great steep ski route so easy to get to

 

You mean with a 7 k' climb? That's not easy (comparatively). Let's quit being apologists. We f'n slay hard in Washington. Nevermind the ski, pas de télépherique, no helis, go get it son.

 

I don't doubt that your boss could've done it, but who is he and what else did he do? Your post demands more information.

 

Merci beaucoup, ton ami à La Grave,

Skykilo

[i_like_sun]

Another question I have is:

 

How WELL did you guys ski this route. Was it slipping down the whole way, or were you slicing new asshole with every turn?

 

There's no point in riding a line unless you make it LOOK good.

[ashw_justin]

OMG is it just me or someone asking for that infamous 'glacial buttshot'?

[Ron Mexico]

Another question I have is:

 

How WELL did you guys ski this route. Was it slipping down the whole way, or were you slicing new asshole with every turn?

 

There's no point in riding a line unless you make it LOOK good.

 

They did it in fine style.

 

Although apparently my memory is faulty on the line they took. Curious AllYouCanEat why did you take the line you did, rather than the green one in the other photo? Did you guys climb the route? I can't remember if I saw climbers tracks or not on the way up.

[Lix]

It's nice to see this post didn't lanquish in some backwater.

 

Kind of lost interest due a dinged up knee skiing off a windslad on my last day in the Wasatch. No big lines in the Cascades this year - pity with the snowpack and all. Have fun up there.

 

The guy I'm reffering to most definitely skied the CH in the late 80's or early 90's. After spending roughly 40 days on that mountain over the course of the past summer, there's no doubt I recognized the big crack he's skiing through as the one high on the Headwall (from a photo seen at his home - taken of him from the galcier below).

 

Who knows? Maybe climatic and glacial conditions around the time of his descent were such that it would be considered a pretty chill run nowadays. He said the only crux was dealing with shallow snow over ice high up in a few palces. After the crack he said it was pretty cruiser skiing with no more cruxes heading skiers right. He also skied it in July.

 

Maybe he was a really talented skier doing sick shit before anybody really cared about that sort of thing.

 

He's got more noteworthy descents from that time period in the Cascades. Maybe I'll get him to talk about them one day.

 

Cheers

[AllYouCanEat]

Nope, didn't climb up it.

 

Ron,

 

didn't take it because there was some ice and by the time we realized where it was, we were low. Hard to read where you are exactly on rolling slopes like that.

I like sun,

 

as for how good I skied it...i didn't groom it if that's what you mean

 

Lix,

 

thanks for the reply. The route certainly isn't chill, although I've done much worse. The upper hw is probably around 50 degrees, but the remainder is a good 45. I wouldn't want to fall, which on something chill, I wouldn't mind. It's a good route, if you are in the area and want to go, I could be interested or hook you up with someone who is.

 

Edited April 9, 2008 by AllYouCanEat

[skykilo]

Very true that glacier routes can evolve from easy to impossible on their own. That's part of the fun of the game. I'd also be interested to hear what else your boss skied.

[Lowell_Skoog]

Lix,

 

Are you referring to Bela Vadasz?

 

I've heard several rumors that he skied the Coleman Headwall back in the 1990s. The Apr/May 1994 issue of Couloir magazine included a photo of Mimi Vadasz carrying skis up the route. Perhaps it was taken when he (they?) skied it.

 

I have been documenting the history of Cascade ski mountaineering on the following website:

 

http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/

 

I will eventually be putting much of this material into a book. Bela Vadasz is on my list of people to contact. If you have any tips about things to talk to him about, or if you could suggest the best way to get in touch with him, let me know. Thanks!

 

Lowell Skoog, Seattle

lowell.skoog@alpenglow.org

 

[Jason_Martin]

Bela's a guide in the sierra. His email should be on the AMGA website under ski guides...

 

Jason

[Climzalot]

Bela's company is Alpine Skills International.

 

http://www.alpineskills.com/

 

Good luck!

[OrygunJim]

Photos taken 4/26/08

 

 

[Lix]

Looks like a good ski hill to me - too bad my ACL surgery is the 22nd. Have fun up there this summer.

[i_like_sun]

Heading up there on Saturday and plan to summit Sunday. I'm not sure if we wanna bang out Coleman Headwall, North Ridge, or just a standard route... but I'll throw in a trip report regardless.

 

Hope everyone is stoked on being pumped!!!