May 7-8, 2010: Colchuck Peak, Northwest Face to NBC
Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 6:00 am
Party of four skinned up the Stuart Lake trailhead Friday afternoon (original plan was N face of Mt. Maude, but discovered the road gated, so reverted to plan b). Camped just below Colchuck lake and made a casual start around 0900 Saturday morning. Good snow conditions on the initial skin to the North Buttress Couloir entrance, with a little bit of iced avy debris in the lower 200m of the route. Upper section held 30-45cm of fresh powder with good stability.
After gaining the top of the Couloir, Ed and I traversed West to the Northwest Face and booted to within 8m of the summit, which is as high as it would get for a pure ski descent. A few icy patches on the face, but mainly good powder. Approaching snow showers encouraged a prompt descent, so left off tagging the summit for a summer hike.
Prepping for the ski down, discovered that one Whippet was frozen fully collapsed... attempted to disassemble the flicklock and loosen it up with a leatherman, but no dice. Made the mistake of not reassembling the flicklock while stressing about the approaching weather. Began the descent with one Whippet 10cm shorter than the other, but mid jump turn on the upper third of the face, the lower half departed for a skittering trip over the cliff band... if anybody wants a free lower section of a Whippet, you know roughly where to look. Skied the rest of the face, traversed to the top of the NBC, and skied it with one and a half poles in what was not exactly the most fluid style, but made it out in one piece (unlike my left Whippet...).
Exceptionally aesthetic line, good snow, good weather, good company.
EDIT: Pics added... ones from my camera aren't particularly spectacular, will get better ones from Ed's DSLR
After gaining the top of the Couloir, Ed and I traversed West to the Northwest Face and booted to within 8m of the summit, which is as high as it would get for a pure ski descent. A few icy patches on the face, but mainly good powder. Approaching snow showers encouraged a prompt descent, so left off tagging the summit for a summer hike.
Prepping for the ski down, discovered that one Whippet was frozen fully collapsed... attempted to disassemble the flicklock and loosen it up with a leatherman, but no dice. Made the mistake of not reassembling the flicklock while stressing about the approaching weather. Began the descent with one Whippet 10cm shorter than the other, but mid jump turn on the upper third of the face, the lower half departed for a skittering trip over the cliff band... if anybody wants a free lower section of a Whippet, you know roughly where to look. Skied the rest of the face, traversed to the top of the NBC, and skied it with one and a half poles in what was not exactly the most fluid style, but made it out in one piece (unlike my left Whippet...).
Exceptionally aesthetic line, good snow, good weather, good company.
EDIT: Pics added... ones from my camera aren't particularly spectacular, will get better ones from Ed's DSLR
