TR: Blue skies and and warm highs

Posted by Brittany – January 20, 2012

A week ago we were in the middle of a high pressure following a snow storm that dumped the first significant amount of snow we’d seen in over a month. Unfortunately, that same snow storm left us with wind that scoured our peaks. I headed out with my friends Mike, Rachel, and Grete, sticking to terrain below treeline, hoping to find decent snow in the sheltered trees.

As we skinned up, the windscouring was evident everywhere. And even though temperatures were forecasted in 20′s, it felt much warmer, as we all stripped down to our thermal layers.
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Mike dropped in first.
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Though the snow was certainly wind-affected, we did find some good turns. However, our turns were most abruptly interrupted when we hit old frozen tracks beneath the new snow.

Grete.
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Rachel.
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Mike.
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Though I enjoy blue skies, it’s certainly good to have the white clouds this week. With snow falling every day since Saturday, this season is finally starting to turn :)

State of the Snowpack 1-19-12

Posted by Frank – January 20, 2012

Things are bad in Colorado, Utah, and many other areas of the Western US right now. Everyone knows it. The snowpack right now comes right from an evil mad scientist’s worst dreams- almost exclusively rotten facets and dense windslabs. So it goes without saying that we’re toning it down here at 14erskiers, and hopefully everyone else will do likewise. The snowpack hasn’t looked like this in about 10 years- 2001/02 was a rough one, but I was luckily spending that winter in Whistler/Pemberton, enjoying a banner year there. We’ve enjoyed a string of relatively excellent years in Crested Butte, and we’ve been able to enjoy some fairly aggressive skiing in the backcountry as a result. In all likelihood, the backcountry this season has no chance of a full recovery- it will be dicey, possibly even in the spring.

The rime (or was it rain?) layer in the Anthracites yesterday:
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Skiing 7th bowl through the rime crust was interesting- Zach’s skis made the most fascinating sound skiing through it, and at first I thought it was his carbon DPS skis. But no, it was just a weird snowpack.
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So, we’ll be spending more time than usual at the resort. Heck, I’ve been spending most of my time on my tele gear. The bummer in this case is that the resort needs a ton more snow to get the steep stuff open, and once we do get snow all the steep terrain will likely slide right back down to the ground. There hasn’t even been enough snow this season for the bootpackers to stomp the sugar down in much terrain other than the Headwall and Teocalli bowl. So we’ll need some really big and prolonged storm systems to get much of the steeps open, and even then it’s doubtful that all of our terrain will open this season (i.e. 3rd bowl and the frontside and possibly even Phoenix/Spellbound).

Yes, I realize I’m being pessimistic, but the reality is that it is late January and Crested Butte Mountain Resort has recorded 40-some inches for the whole year. So we’re finalizing plans to get the heck out of here. Girdwood Alaska looks like our first stop in late February. I hope to find myself in BC at some point in March. April will hopefully find us in the Tetons and/or the Wind Rivers, and if all goes well, we’ll finish out the season on Rainier and other peaks in the Cascades. Suddenly, I’m looking forward to this winter again.

Gear Review: CAMP XLC 390 Crampons

Posted by Frank – January 17, 2012

Brittany and I have both been using the CAMP XLC 390 Crampons for a number of years, and both of us would place them near the top of our lists of ski mountaineering gear that we love, for their light weight, easy adjustabilty, and solid connection to our ski boots.
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The XLC 390 is a lightweight aluminum crampon whose number, 390, refers to the number of grams a pair weighs (about 13.8oz for the metric-impaired). For comparison, similar steel offerings commonly weigh about 2 pounds, 2 ounces. We’re no weight weenies, but at less than half the weight, we wanted to at least give them a try. We have found over the years that these crampons perform beautifully- so long as they’re used as intended. These are not the crampons to take for a day at the Ouray Ice Park- they probably wouldn’t even last one pitch. In fact, they’re not a great choice for any route that contains a lot of ice or rock. But for ski mountaineering in places like Colorado, which are more often than not just simple snow climbs, the XLC 390 is a perfect choice.
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Aluminum crampons definitely require a bit more “babying”. If you’re the type of climber who likes to repeatedly stomp their foot into the rocks to find a hold, you’ll wreck these crampons in a hurry. Same goes if you’re 6’6″ and 250 pounds. The only 14ers we didn’t bring these crampons on were Pyramid and Capitol. For everything else, they were a great choice and truthfully we could have used them on all the 14ers.
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Where the XLC 390 really shines, however, is at the trailhead. You know the situation- you’re packing your backpack and out comes the question “Do you think we’ll need crampons?”. Colorado is full of moderate routes that may be safely climbed without crampons- so long as the snow is perfect and you feel completely comfortable with the route. Tossing a 2+ pound set of steel crampons in a pack when you’re not even sure you’ll use them is a tough pill to swallow. 14 ounces and it’s pretty easy to answer, “What the heck, I’ll throw them in.” That’s the real beauty of the XLC 390 crampons.
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For those of you wondering, yes- those are the Tecnica Cochise AT boots. Review of these amazing boots coming soon…

Check them out:

Blue Mesa 1.9.12

Posted by Frank – January 14, 2012

While the 2011-12 ski season here in Colorado may be one of the worst in many years, old-timers are saying that this is one of the best years ever to skate Blue Mesa, Colorado’s largest body of water just outside of Gunnison. This really shouldn’t be much of a surprise, since snow is the enemy of good skating ice and there hasn’t been much snow to speak of this season. The few inches that fell last weekend up in Crested Butte only added up to a trace on Blue Mesa. While the trace of snow didn’t slow us down, it was a little disappointing that we missed out on the clear black ice that everyone had been raving about before the snow. Andy Eflin, Pete Sowar and I laced them up at the Elk Creek marina, which was a little surreal frozen in the ice:
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I’ve skated on many ponds over the years, but this was my first time on such a large lake (20 miles long and 96 miles of shoreline). I was in for a surprise, as pond skating has as much in common with large lake skating as a one-run bunny hill has with a mega resort in the Alps. Pond ice doesn’t talk- Blue Mesa does.
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When I say that Blue Mesa talks, I’m referring to the ice creaking, groaning, and straining as we skated on it. Imagine a snowpack that constantly whoomphed, and you’ll have an idea of what skating on Blue Mesa is like. It was disconcerting to put it mildly.
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We explored a few of the inlets, and they had some fun play areas along the shore. Pete:
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Occasionally the ice has small cracks, which may not be a concern as far as falling in, but they do pose their own hazard:
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Then there’s the big cracks, know as pressure ridges, also something you don’t see on a pond. Kind of crazy, and a scary obstacle to cross.
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Experienced skaters actually seek out thin ice, as it tends to be the fastest and can sometimes even forms a wave of ice for extra speed. Yes, this sounds crazy, and no, I don’t think I’ll try it. But we did have a great time and I’ll probably head back down there if the snow doesn’t start falling. I might even make some lag bolt bracelets to claw my way out if I fall in, as Andy is sporting here, along with his rope:
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Think snow!

Gear Review: Black Diamond Shiva Boots with Intuition Liners

Posted by Brittany – January 12, 2012

Last winter, my beloved Scarpa Diva boots began to fall apart on me. I knew it was time to keep my eye out for a new pair of AT boots. The selection of women’s AT boots has grown significantly since I last purchased my Divas in 2008. Back then, I basically had two choices for “stiff” women’s AT boots: the Garmont Xena and the Scarpa Diva. Now, the choices are exponentially more plentiful.

I kept my eye out for sales and finally buckled down at the end-of-season sale at our local mountaineering shop, the Alpineer. I tried on a number of boots and also demoed a few pairs before determining that the Black Diamond Shiva was the right one for me.

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However, after using the boot for a few weeks without working out a few kinks, I developed a foot issue that stuck around for the rest of the spring. I had to return to my Divas to give the foot issue a break. I finally dug the Shivas back out of the closet last month.

Sizing
My feet are small and I typically use a shell size of 2 or 22.5 in an alpine ski boot. I prefer slightly larger boots for touring so I usually settle on a size 23 as most AT boots don’t come in a smaller size. The Scarpas and Garmonts I’ve used in the past have been slightly on the big side for me. However, I’d say BD’s sizing runs a tad small. A size 23 was much smaller than any size 23 I’d ever tried on before. I might have been better off with a size 23.5, but the Alpineer had none in stock at that time. However, I’ve been told that BD’s sizing has changed this year. Whether that’s true or not, I have not yet verified myself. As always, it’s best to try on the boots to determine which size is best for you.

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Whoa, New Snow!? 1.8.12

Posted by Frank – January 11, 2012

It snowed last weekend for the first time in a long, long time. Sure, it was only about 8″, but it felt more like 8′ considering the way we’ve been deprived of snowfall this season in the Crested Butte area. Brittany and I headed out to the Kebler Pass area, where amazingly people are still driving, to check things out. Beautiful light on a beautiful day:
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Brittany shredding it up:
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Given the state of this year’s snowpack, it didn’t take much new snow to increase the avalanche danger. You can see a small slab that broke loose, but didn’t move, in this photo:
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It will take a lot for avalanche conditions to improve this year in Colorado and Utah, so keep it mellow in the backcountry this year, ski the resorts, and travel to places with a better snowpack. Do a little snow dance- it sounds like we might have a better chance at snow in the near future.

Making the Best of No Snow: Hartman’s Rocks 1.5.12

Posted by Frank – January 10, 2012

Last week, the phrase “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” translated into “When life gives you bare ground in the middle of winter, make tire tracks.” This was doubly true last week when temps in Gunnison Colorado, which usually struggle to reach single digits in January, were in the upper 40′s last week. I’d rather ski, but with ski conditions this bad, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ride my bike in shorts, in one of the coldest places in the lower 48. It’s kind of like Bodie’s 50 year storm in “Point Break”, but it’s a 50 year winter of the kind skiers don’t even want to think about.

The parking lot was busy, filled with like-minded mountain bikers, trail runners, and dirtbikers. If someone told me it was October, it wouldn’t be hard to believe. Conditions were incredible- every trail is rideable and the short sections of snow have been ridden enough that they’re barely noticeable. If this winter stays like this, I’ll be back. Here’s a short video, with a few photos mixed in as well:

Biking was fun and everything, but I’ll still be thinking snow:

What we’ve got

Posted by Brittany – January 8, 2012

We’ve been waiting for this. We’ve been waiting for far too long. On Saturday morning, we were awakened by the sound of a snow plow. The building shook as the mighty machine scraped the two inches of snow off the parking lot pavement and dumped it on top of our tiny snow banks. It’s been a bad snow year so far. There’s no debate about it. And while last year two inches of fresh felt like dust on crust, this year’s dry spell has made two inches feel more like two feet. It was declared a powder day.

We grabbed our skis and headed to the ski area. Yelps and smiles and shouts of elation were everywhere. Two inches became three inches and three inches became five as snow continued to fall throughout the day. I felt my edges carving through the newly fallen snow as if they were razor sharp, something I rarely feel on the man-made frozen congealed slop.

We made our way to the East River lift. “Scrape, scrape, brush, brush,” was the sound our skis made as we glazed over rock after rock and blasted through the small trees and bushes. The coverage was thin, but it was natural snow- natural snow with fresh snow on top of it. And that made it fantastic.

Last year we were spoiled. We would have either laughed or cried at the desperation we find ourselves in today, where skiing a black diamond bump run laden with rocks and bushes has been the highlight of our lift-served experience, where two inches of fresh is declared a pow-day. But, no skier on the mountain yesterday could deny that it wasn’t a good day. Because it WAS a good day!

Sometimes the best days are the ones that remind you what you’ve got :)

New Year on Richmond 1.1.12

Posted by Frank – January 5, 2012

It’s been a long time since I posted anything, mostly because I haven’t been in the mountains much the past month or so. Since the skiing wasn’t very good in December, I took a small job in Denver, and followed that up with family Christmas visits. Surely the skiing would be better by the time I got back around New Year’s, I thought. Sadly, the skiing went from bad to worse as December wore on. Crested Butte, like much of the West from Utah to California, is in the midst of an extremely dry winter. Certainly the worst I’ve seen here since my arrival in 1996. Don’t be surprised when I do a bike trip report- sadly the biking is excellent right now.

In any case, Brittany and I will keep trying our best to keep the faith and have fun with what little snow we have. So rather than party hard on New Year’s eve, we stayed in and were joined by our friends Ben and Jonathan on a tour up Richmond. In addition to the lack of snow, we’ve also had a steady diet of strong winds, so rather than attempt to seek out powder, we were actually hoping for smooth wind buffed snow. We found some, as well as punchy crusts and scree-covered snow. The conditions weren’t all that surprising, but what may have been surprising was how much fun we still had despite it all. On with some photos…

Skinning:
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Front Range Frolicking (Dec 2011)

Posted by Brittany – January 4, 2012

Besides our Berthoud Pass tour, we did a bit more frolicking during our time in the Front Range over the holidays. One day we headed up Herman Gulch for a little tour.
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Our intended line, but strong winds kept us from venturing above treeline.
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