The Line Will Still Be There. 11.7.13

A couple of years ago, I found myself on top of a line that I had looked at for years. With a steep entrance, questionable snow, and a cornice guarding the couloir, it wasn’t easy. So I paced back and forth, tried to find my line, and eventually decided to save it for another day. That day was last Thursday.

Pete Sowar got a great look at this couloir just a few days before, so we knew it was in decent shape despite still being early season.

It looked good:

Lots of other terrain to keep in mind for another day:

Pete:

Frank:

Pete:

Frank:

As the line dog-legged to the east, the snow was already starting to get pretty wet. This time of year, we run into nearly every type of snow.

The apron had some of the strangest snow you’re likely to encounter. Just starting to get moist on top, but still very cold right underneath, the snow was extraordinarily sticky and it took a lot of power and energy to keep the skis going. Still fun though:

The line from afar. It’s the tough-to-see dogleg:

We’ve skied some great lines so far this season, but this one was definitely rewarding for me. As the cliche says- the mountain will still be there- and it was.

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Frank Konsella

Frank loves snow more than anything... except his wife.  He ensures his food is digested properly by chewing it 32 times before swallowing.He is a full-time real estate agent serving Crested Butte and Gunnison and would be honored to send you his monthly newsletter.

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