David_Parker Posted March 18, 2011 Posted March 18, 2011 (edited) Trip: ChairPeak/Snow Lake - Snow Lake Couloir Date: 3/17/2011 Trip Report: Kurt and I made a St. Patrick’s Day descent of the Snow Lake Couloir. We don’t know if there is an official name for this so that’s what I’m calling it. We left the upper Alpental parking lot at 9:30 and were soon at a huge Avy debris field at Source Lake that was a little tricky to cross. Kurt fell down. We were fortunate to have a skin trail put in for us that lead us all the way to the notch on NE Ridge of Chair Peak. We followed this SW for a bit and then dropped off and skied super dry pow looking for the top of the couloir. We found ourselves cliffed out below the entrance and so we skinned back up until we found it. Since our skins were on we continued back up to the notch and skied the moonscape back down to the couloir. The top was steep enough for surface sloughing as we skied but overall it was stable. It was a fabulous powder run all the way to the lake. We skinned across the lake in sunshine and then back up to the ridge. We decided to go back up into the basin so we could ski direct fall line back to Source Lake. The path out was like a skier-cross track until we hit the cat track back to Alpental. I changed into my St. Patty’s day party attire. Back at the ferry I had a 1.5 hour wait so I hit the Owl ‘N Thistle for a few pints of Guiness. The place was packed and full on raging with live band at 5:00! Gear Notes: Green outer-wear, party hat, beads Approach Notes: Go late so there is a skin trail already! Edited March 18, 2011 by David_Parker Quote
j_b Posted March 19, 2011 Posted March 19, 2011 Excellent. Was Feck waving his pole after he fell while crossing the chunks? Quote
Friedrich Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 Way to go out and grab it! Love your pics too. Hey since it seems like you guys were one of the few to get out this week, I was wondering if you happened to look back over your shoulder at Source Lake Line as you went up to the notch. About a month ago it was PHAT ICE, and it hasn't warmed up any, tucked away like it is, so I'm thinking it's probably still there. Any beta? Muchos Gracias. Pics taken 2/20/11 Quote
AlpineK Posted March 20, 2011 Posted March 20, 2011 There is some nice looking ice up there now. The north facing stuff might be preserved, but it is almost Spring. We were up by Snow Lake again yesterday. Air temperatures were pretty darn warm on south and east facing slopes. Quote
Friedrich Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 (edited) Sweeeeet, thanks. Yeah spring is here for sure, but with these consistently cold nights running week after week, I'm hoping to get away with a late-season ice climb before it's all gone. Gotta be this week methinks. With an alpine start, could happen. Now to arrange things so I can sneak away mid-week! Edited March 21, 2011 by Friedrich Quote
bigeo Posted March 25, 2011 Posted March 25, 2011 Hey Friedrich, If you get out there, tell us what you find. Thanks. Quote
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