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Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 5:47 pm
by skykilo
So after a serious clusterfuck, a near meltdown and a very cold midnight glacier ski on the way to Wedgemount, we sleep until nearly noon. Naomi is sick and the whole group acknowledges that the big plans for the day are no longer in play.

But the boys decide to boot up a big couloir on Rethel. It's right there at the hut.
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This couloir is huge.
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Nobody expects to get past the huge cornice that guards the top. But as we get close to it, there's some magic coastal snow that lets us boot up a very steep ramp through a cliff.

Suddenly, we find ourselves on a steep hanging snowfield above the couloir.
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We don't have any crampons or ice axes but it doesn't matter because the snow is so perfect.
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The hanging snowfield magically delivers us to the summit plateau above a cliff where there's no cornice.
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Et voila !
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The views are spectacular.

Parkhust!
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Now we schralp steep powder. I guess, first dibs for me since I kicked the steps.
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Purrrrfect.
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Eric on the last bit of hanging snowfield above the couloir.
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Fork an egg, that was fun!
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Just to be all raunchy about it, Rethel.
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Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:08 pm
by ziff
looks awesome! but we need more details about the clusterfuck and meltdown :lol:

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:17 pm
by TheLumberjack
One should be so lucky to have that little number as a 'back-up plan.' Rad terrain!!

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 7:22 pm
by ziff
sky, are you skiing Parkhust today? it looks incredible.

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Fri Feb 18, 2011 11:06 pm
by Alex
I agree with Ziff. That Parkhurst couloir looks saweet.

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:48 pm
by Diamond Dachshund
I like this concept of cross-country freeride. Skiing multiple lines while never necessarily skiing a single 'objective.' This subject needs to be elaborated upon.

How does cross-country freeride make you feel?

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:26 am
by Atraslin
System's we're off on this cold trip.Frozen metal bottle,frozen thermos,stove not working.

Reverse alpine start 3pm start from the creek.I felt I was going backwards on the Wedge glacier.I was so bonked.
I was literally 50 feet from the cabin and I had to take a rest.

But it was all worth it when Sky found the route up the east to the summit of Rethel down the south couloir in boot top
pow.

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Wed Feb 23, 2011 6:28 pm
by naomig
So sad I got sick. I would've loved to ski that couloir too. Oh well. Can't really complain with all the other stuff I get to ski.

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Wed Mar 02, 2011 6:53 pm
by DonJuanPakistan
Pretty dope, gotta say.

Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:07 pm
by Atraslin
A short video from the day filmed with a helmet camera.


Re: Rethel, Cross-Country Freeride

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 12:36 am
by skykilo
Thanks, Andy. That was a cool blast on a hot summer day! What an unbeatable combination of terrain and conditions. I'm counting my lucky stars.