telemarker Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 (edited) Trip: Colchuck Peak - NE Couloir Ski Date: 2/28/2010 Trip Report: This was a surprising weekend for the east side. Mission Ridge got 8 inches of snow Thursday/Friday. Chump change for Steven's, but quite a pleasant surprise for the eastern half. So it was no surprise to fine a foot to 15 inches of new snow on the way up to Colchuck. Will and I had ideas, and we finally settled on the NE Couloir given the new snow amounts. Of course, that doesn't really make too much sense... Kyle Flick and Scott McCallister joined us for Saturday, where we had a nice run up and down the glacier. The place was deserted, and we weren't complaining about it. We tried to scope out our options but weather rolled in so we booked it back to camp. Sunday, Scott turned back due to a torn hip flexor, so it was left to Will and I to make something of the weekend. Under amazing skies, we reached the top of Colchuck. I don't think I've ever summitted this damn peak in the 12 years I've been running around these hills. Weird. We scoped the best way into the NE Couloir, eventually finding an easy but slippery downclimb. The first few turns into the upper NE Couloir was actully side slipping on iced up snow. We started out on a more eastern aspect, but the more we traversed over to the north facing slope, the better it got until it was perfect powder for edging. We reached the "mandatory air" over an ice bulge by steep side stepping down a snow fluting over ice. The air was only about a 6 foot drop, and I wouldn't think twice about it in any other situation. However, the landing was still steep, and the exposure below that landing was daunting should you blow it. I was able to ass smear and come to a stop, and Will did the same. From there, it was continued steep, powdery turns until the couloir pinched off like a lap-band, about the length of my skis. Below that, we were shooting out the exit and enjoying the billowy cruise back to the lake. On the way up after the clearing storm Kyle looking small I like the light in this image, showing Backbone and Serpentine, which usually blend into the face in the summer months. So clear out today... Will downclimbing off Colchuck's Summit Traversing over to the NE Couloir entrance Upper NE Couloir Things start to get tight Edited March 1, 2010 by telemarker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OffTheSteppe Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Looked like a challenging trip! Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbcbd Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 2nd descent? Kickass, John and Will! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazz Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 SWEET image!! Great stuff John! Another Top notch trip and report! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevino Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Mr. Telemarker, Your trip reports are always awesome. Nice one, yet again. Thanks for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Piston Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Thanks for the TR and great pictures. I think I only saw one picture with avvy sign...the snow must have been pretty consolidated? Would a non-skier need snowshoes for the approach or did you guys make a nice trail for others to follow (and bless your efforts)? I ask because I might be headed up there Friday. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alecapone Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Awesome guys!! Glad you got it. Now I am definatly jealous. So sorry I had to bail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtyleaf Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 Wow. Looks like an outstanding outing! Nice work John! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Hobbick Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 I thought you guys were going to ski the Triple Couloirs. I'm not complaining, all the same, nice work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainsloth Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 kick ass, as usual! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telemarker Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 Thanks! I'm sure this line has been skied many times before we did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telemarker Posted March 2, 2010 Author Share Posted March 2, 2010 Piston: we put in a nice trail up to the lake. There were a couple large, natural release slides that occured a day or two before we got up there. Other than those, the snow was very stable. You should be fine with snowshoes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Nice one! Makes me wish I could ski Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
telemarker Posted March 3, 2010 Author Share Posted March 3, 2010 Nice one! Makes me wish I could ski I thought you grew up skiing in the French alps as a young lad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Piston Posted March 3, 2010 Share Posted March 3, 2010 Many thanks for the update...now if I can just get a weather window! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Drrooooooll... awesome pics!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpine_Tom Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 I don't suppose the road is open up to the trailhead yet? Given the low snow and all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle_Flick Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 Nope. But the road is melting out fast--maybe a couple more weeks unless we get another late season snow storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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