Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Skiing and mountain literature, photos, and innovative media
Post Reply
User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

Steep powder LOVE
Photo from last year, line on looker's left; it's not as fat right now but gud enuf
Image

Naomi spent 3 weeks in Japan doing nothing but eating. We found ourselves in Whistler; she had skis, boots, and shiny new Dynafit bindings. First I poached a random power outlet for the drill.
Image

Then I found an ideal workbench in the day parking to mount the bindings.
Image

The next day we climbed Joffre via the Aussie Couloir with Andy, Jake and Ziff. There was uncertainty in the group at the top. Ziff convinced us of his anti-Twisting Couloir viewpoint because of possible objective hazards. Given the latish hour and the nature of the line, five people seemed too many for Joffre Couloir. So Andy, Jake and Ziff decided to ski the Aussie.

It was Naomi's first day on Dynafits and her first tour of this magnitude so I asked her, "What do you want to do?"

She said, "I don't want to ski any crusty, crappy snow."

Well, it was clear where we would find the pow so we headed for Joffre Couloir.

There was a nice big rock to use for an anchor and Ziff had kindly given us a phat piece of tat.
Image

The verdict was "It's a go."
Image

The top slope is steeep and holds epic powder.
Image

Perfect snow!
Image

There was some thinly-covered rock and some water ice through the narrow section, but enough snow to get over it without much trouble.

Then it was pure steep skiing ecstasy.
Image

Here is an animated gif made with Naomi's fancy new camera from Japan.
Image

Two small jumps were necessary to clear the bergschrunds; they're not covered yet. The powder on the glacier and moraine was incredible.

I have some pictures of Naomi schralping the steep pow but my camera is under a pile of gear and I don't think they're as good as her pictures. I'll add some of them eventually. Just in case it's not painfully clear from my blurbs here: Naomi kicks a lot of ass.

MORE PLEASE

LeeLau

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by LeeLau »

thanks Sky.

Ziff - what were the hazards present on Twisting if you don't mind a slight off-topic digression?

User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

Big cornices and more exposure to wind hence more widespread windslabs or shitty affected snow likely, Lee.

ziff

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by ziff »

Lee, what Sky said.

Sky, it looked good in there. Glad you two put that piece of tat to good use.

LeeLau

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by LeeLau »

Thanks ziff and sky. We left some manky webbing up there last year and i got injured to didn't manage to go clean up my garbage so felt pretty bad about the litter but it looks like the wind and elements have covered up all sins

User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

Some mank was sighted but time will heal all wounds and I'm a sinner with no stones to cast.

Atraslin
Giver don't skidder

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by Atraslin »

Wow, you guys pulled it off.How did the spectra
chord work out for the rappel.

User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

Thanks for the loan, that tech chord is awesome; I'd like to get a 70 m ball of it for ski-mountaineering silliness.

Ldawson

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by Ldawson »

Haha, I like the parking lot dynafit mount. I've used some kevlar cord for rappeling and even as a light weight glacier rope or in the pack for a haul system. That stuff is crazy light! Did you guys ski on the 5th?

Louie

User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

We skied this on Monday the 3rd, Louie.

User avatar
Diamond Dachshund
from The Future
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by Diamond Dachshund »

What size/length spectra cord did you use? I've been thinking about carrying a ball of 30m runner for raps. And impromptu chokings.

User avatar
skykilo
olikyks
from Santa Fe
Contact:

Re: Joffre Peak, Joffre Couloir

Post by skykilo »

I think it was 6 mm, DD. I'm thinking like two 35 m lengths of it to split between partners would allow all kind of shenanigans with a very light weight expenditure.

Post Reply