{"id":414264,"date":"2015-05-17T18:15:26","date_gmt":"2015-05-18T00:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/?p=414264"},"modified":"2015-05-15T23:20:14","modified_gmt":"2015-05-16T05:20:14","slug":"tr-lackawanna-peak-ski-4-may-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/2015\/05\/tr-lackawanna-peak-ski-4-may-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"TR: Lackawanna Peak Ski (4 May 2015)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The weather in April had been somewhat unsettled. So, I was looking forward to a drier May. As it turns out, this has been one of the wettest Mays on record for Colorado so far. And started that way nearly right off the bat.<\/p>\n

The first weekend in May was wet and dreary. Rain. Even up high. This time of year we usually fear the dreaded “d”-word. D for dust. This year it’s been the dreaded “r”-word. R for rain. And “NF” for not freezing at night. I have never seen such a moist spring where snow still melts at alarming rates – at least below treeline. The clouded nights have continually prevented deep freezes from happening in May, contributing to rapid snow-melt, despite the fact that snow continues to fly up high.<\/p>\n

While some things are alarmingly devoid of snow, others are so plastered with white stuff you feel like you must be living in Alaska. I have never seen the Sawatch Range looking so white. It’s been a very odd spring. Welcome to Colorado, the new Pacific Northwest. Well, sort of.<\/p>\n

But, you take what you can get, and this was what I was faced with when planning a ski for Monday May 4th.<\/p>\n

As I left Crested Butte on Sunday afternoon, the dreaded “r”-word had taken over the town. It was pouring rain. I had intentions to ski a line that was lower down on the east side of Independence Pass. But, I didn’t have a great feeling about its condition. My intuition was realized to be true as I gazed upon a completely schmooed out avy path. Rain and wet slides had taken a toll on this line that I’d gazed upon in prime condition just a few weeks earlier. So, on to plan B.<\/p>\n

Except, Plan B wasn’t looking good either. So, we went on to plans C & D, one of which ended up being Lackawanna Peak. Higher in elevation, with some mellow options, this peak seemed like a good choice to ski after a night of rain and several nights of soft freeze. Although Natalia had skied it before, she was eager to perhaps check out another part of Lackawanna Peak, if opportunity permitted.<\/p>\n

It’s never a good sign for a ski day when you wake up at over 10,000-feet in the middle of the night to find raindrops clinging in the air. I didn’t have great hopes for the day. But, we were there, and we were awake, so why not just try at least? You never know until you go.<\/p>\n

We began ascending Lackawanna Peak from the south, hiking about 600′-vertical before finding our first strips of snow. Natalia.
\n\"Natalia<\/p>\n

Me.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

Once on snow, we chose to switch to skinning pretty early on. Natalia with Star Mountain in the background. We were happy to find a decent freeze in the snow despite the rain and clouds that had dominated the night. You don’t know until you go!
\n\"Natalia<\/p>\n

As the terrain steepened toward the top, we switched back to booting.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And then the light got flat. Really, really flat. Natalia.
\n\"Natalia<\/p>\n

Clouds passed through us off and on as we rounded up to the summit. Me asking the question-of-the-day, “Does the west side go?”
\n\"Lackawanna<\/p>\n

Me on the summit of Lackawanna.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

As I went to scope out line options, clouds socked in on the summit. I could barely see Natalia on the summit block, only a short distance away.
\n\"Natalia<\/p>\n

I was thinking we were going to have to descend the way we came. But, then the clouds parted for us to gaze upon a beautiful-looking west face. To the west we would go!
\n\"Skiing<\/p>\n

\"Skiing<\/p>\n

While we could have 14er-skied over mixed rocks and snow from the summit, we opted to downclimb the first 75′-vert or so until reaching a continuous snow patch. Then it was time to ski! Me.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

\"Brittany<\/p>\n

\"Brittany<\/p>\n

This part of the line got pretty nice and aesthetic.
\n\"Looking<\/p>\n

Natalia.
\n\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

\"Natalia<\/p>\n

Me again.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

\"Brittany<\/p>\n

Skiing out the bottom.
\n\"Brittany<\/p>\n

We were happy to have skied yet another fun line! But, we were unsure of how difficult it would be to get out. We followed the obvious drainage downward. Natalia.
\n\"N\"<\/p>\n

As we continued onward through the trees we found some manky snow occasionally, but we were able to piece together a ski descent all the way to the road, walking about .5 miles on the highway back to our cars.<\/p>\n

While the weather was looking fairly dismal, we dealt with what Mother Nature offered us, choosing a conservative peak for our ski day. It ended up being a fantastic choice and a fun ski. In the morning I didn’t have high hopes for the day. But, we were rewarded otherwise. You just never know until you go!<\/p>\n

Thanks, Natalia, for helping me explore!<\/p>\n