danhelmstadter Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Trip: Mt. Shuksan - Curtis Blow - ski Date: 2/18/2009 Trip Report: I left the lower lot a little past 8 this morning, and skined up to chair 8, then up towrds Hemispheres with the lift buzzing overhead. I should have skined to the top of the lift, and then up the bootpack - but I choose to skin up chooped powder on a steep sub-shoulder feature off the arm, this proved time consuemingg and irritateing - another reminder I need to get some ski crampons. Once on top - The bootpack/skintrack was well tracked in, and I made good time heading east on the the rolly knobs of the arm. Finding the entry to the downslope traverse towrds the Curtis was fairly easy, and I got a few nice turns before i began traversing. The snow had changed character from the north side, and was now breakable crust, with abundaunt frozen avi debris. The Curtis was still mostly in the shade as it came into view. I found variable snow climbing the gully syestem - pow, breakable crust, frozen lanch balls, icy scoured areas... but as I got into the sun - everything softend... one area in particluar got a little on the wet side: That same area would sluff fairly heavily when I later cut it, and skiied it. I encountered a funky bergshrund towrds the top of the Blow, at first I thought it was an old wall to wall crown, but as I got closer, and prodded it, I descovred it's dark secret. Above the shrund - the angle eased off, and I switched back to skins for easier travel. I skined up to the base of the north side of the summit pyramid, and lunched in bueatiful weather. Then began my descent on low angle sunny slopes - it was important not to get carried away as I neared the Blow, there was a lot of exposed glacial ice at the entrance which - needless to say - would be easy to loose an edge on... The snow was mostly excellant, wet up high, where I cut several wet loose snow sluffs. The meat of the gully was mostly good slide path, which was icy on the way up - but softened to enjoyable quality for the way down (def not corn though) As I got into the narrow gullies down low, I found some nice dry powder (with the occasional blue serac chunk) then some more wet avied mank etc... more tracks Snacking on the Curtis, I witnessed several WL-N-R2-D1-S's in The Fisher Chimney area. I skinned back up the arm with pelnty of sun to spare, then some rad steep and deep down northfaceing arm - then down through the resort back to the lower lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powdherb Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Nice. We did it about last year this time and it looks way different in your photos. Maybe it's missing a 200 inch base. Good effort though. Very cool line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stefan Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I really like your pictures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunger Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 right on dan, nice report and looks like some fun skiing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ishmael Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 looks like a good time. Thanks for the pics. Helps sitting at work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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