[TR] Western wanderings - 5/12/2012

[Z-Man]

Trip: Western wanderings -

 

Date: 5/12/2012

 

Trip Report:

I've spent the last year traveling across the Western U.S. for school and have had a chance to explore some great mountains while I did it. The trips started last Summer with a trip to California.

 

 

On the previously unknown to me NWF of W Shepherd's Crest. My buddy Dr. J likes to find the "overlooked" climbs and then suggest we go do them. The solidity of the routes found by this method has varied dramatically, but it has always led to fun adventures. Shepherd's Crest was good by every measure.

 

 

A little more mainstream, the South Face of Charlotte Dome.

 

 

Ultra mainstream on Cathedral Peak, the good Dr. was crying a little bit on the inside to have to resort to something so close to the road, but we took a line well away from the other 20 or so parties and he smiled the whole way up.

 

 

Granite Peak, MT. Great peakbagging trip in what looks like the premier mountains for alpine climbing in Montana.

 

 

Middle Teton from the top of the Enclosure. Another peakbagging trip in an awesome alpine setting.

 

 

Managed to run up Hood a few times as well, the Old Chute on Veteran's Day.

 

 

Illumination Saddle from the Reid Headwall later in the Winter.

 

 

Ending up spending a few weekends in Bozeman hanging out with old friends and making new ones.

 

 

Made it out to Cody for more ice. Two ice trips out that way and still lots on the list.

 

Anchorage was a spectacular place for climbing and skiing.

 

 

the NWF of O'Malley

 

 

Eklutna Canyon

 

 

Indianhead Peak

 

 

Turnagain Pass

 

 

Flattop

 

Idaho's been good too, great spring skiing above 10000' in the Sawtooths and fun climbing in the Lost River Range.

 

 

Williams Peak

 

 

Mount Cramer

 

 

Peak 10129

 

 

White Line Couloir on Peak 11308

 

 

NF of Borah

 

So much to do so much to see.

[123tom]

Wow looks like an awesome year. good job!

 

[ryanl]

Trip:

 

 

 

It's about time.

 

Great to hear from you Aaron. Looks like a great year

Edited May 14, 2012 by ryanl

[spionin]

wow. did you even go to school?

looks awesome, z, can't wait for your return (read: doug needs a skiing partner, i'm out of commission for the season)!

[cbcbd]

Hey buddy, good work making med school seem like a walk in the park, a ski in the couloir, a climb on a face, etc.

 

 

"doug needs a skiing partner"

 

...not to mention climbing.

[mountainsloth]

yea, grad school for me did not look anything like this. Impressive sacrifices must have been made to do that much traveling while in school.

[Z-Man]

That's the best part, school provided for my travel to these places and places to live. In return I just have to give them 20 grand a year and 70-80 hours a week of my time. I get one day off most weeks and I put it to use.

 

I knew you'd appreciate the new sticks Ryan. Also enjoyed you bringing some of that philosophy out again, http://www.skisickness.com/post/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=342&sid=4b62e691ee2ec0765cc8e02c64cebe8a , really liked this post.

 

Phew, I was worried you weren't going to slow down at all V. I was envisioning you with a BCA airbag strapped to your front still sending. I'll be working mostly back at the UW starting in July, will still have that 1 day a week...

Edited May 15, 2012 by Z-Man

[spionin]

Phew, I was worried you weren't going to slow down at all V. I was envisioning you with a BCA airbag strapped to your front still sending. I'll be working mostly back at the UW starting in July, will still have that 1 day a week...

 

yup-yup!

but really, it's just a 15-lb training weight. no biggie

 

see you around!

[Z-Man]

I spoke too soon, Mother's Day indeed! Nice dress.

[denalidave]

Sweet!

[wfinley]

Nice to see the backyard (Flattop) included with peaks like Middle Teton and Granite!

[Z-Man]

Good stuff is good stuff, no matter the elevation. I was able to have good 2000' backcountry runs 3 hours door to door from where I was living in downtown anchorage on Flattop, P2, and P3. While I am told that the snow in the Anchorage front range was unusually abundant and stable this late winter, it was nonetheless nearly perfect and soft virtually every time I went out for almost 2 months. As long as I didn't mind missing sleep, with the late daylight hours in that crazy timezone I could still get out once a week after work for the goods. While I enjoy running Tiger when I'm living in Seattle, I thought this was more fun.

[wfinley]

Yes - you came for a good year. We're still able to ski road to summit & back on Peak 3. Not bad!

[Jake_Gano]

I like the Eklutna picture

Glad you had fun