{"id":420248,"date":"2016-04-05T18:55:21","date_gmt":"2016-04-06T00:55:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/?p=420248"},"modified":"2016-04-05T22:09:02","modified_gmt":"2016-04-06T04:09:02","slug":"tr-crested-butte-backcountry-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/tr-crested-butte-backcountry-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"TR: Crested Butte Backcountry, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>After an afternoon out on the <a href=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/tr-crested-butte-backcountry-purple-s-couloir\/\" target=\"_blank\">Purple S Couloir<\/a>, we knew conditions were prime.  It was time to do some good stuff in the Crested Butte backcountry.  But, weather was moving in.  The next day was full of blustery winds and clouds swirled in the skies.  The Axtell Pencil came to mind as a good line for the day&#8230;<\/p>\n<h3>Axtell Pencil<\/h3>\n<p>Joining me that day on Axtell were Larry, visiting from Steamboat, and my good friend Susan Mol &#8211; a couple of great backcountry partners.<\/p>\n<p>The Axtell Pencil in the center:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_5992AxtellLines.jpg\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-420249\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_5992AxtellLines-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"Axtell Mountain in Crested Butte\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" class=\"alignleft size-large wp-image-420249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_5992AxtellLines-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_5992AxtellLines-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/IMG_5992AxtellLines-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>It&#8217;s always fun showing people new lines.  Larry was visiting from Steamboat and didn&#8217;t know much about Axtell, and knew nothing about the Pencil, and didn&#8217;t lay eyes on it before we began ascending the mountain.<\/p>\n<p>So, Larry didn&#8217;t know what he was really in for when he dropped in.  But, thankfully Larry is up for a good line.  Larry in the upper bowl of the Pencil.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5294Larry.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5302Larry.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"595\" alt=\"Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Susan made her way into the actual couloir of the Pencil first.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5377Susan.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"618\" alt=\"Susan Mol backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><!--more READ MORE!--><\/p>\n<p>Larry&#8217;s turn.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5475Larry.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"622\" alt=\"Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A look down the tight part of the Pencil Couloir.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5657PencilCouloir.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Pencil Couloir on Axtell in Crested Butte.\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Me in the couloir, photos courtesy of Susan.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5515Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5532Brittany.jpg\" width=\"672\" height=\"800\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5545Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5564Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5610Brittany.jpg\" width=\"669\" height=\"800\" alt=\"B\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5637Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"557\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Susan exiting the Pencil Couloir.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5811Susan.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"596\" alt=\"Susan Mol backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5859Susan.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"610\" alt=\"Susan Mol backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5937Susan.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"616\" alt=\"Susan Mol backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5964Susan.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"617\" alt=\"Susan Mol backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Larry on the Pencil apron.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5771Larry.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Larry Fontaine backcountry skiing in Crested Butte, Axtell Pencil Couloir\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Susan and Larry, stoked on skiing another fun line.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5985BottomOfPencil.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"629\" alt=\"Axtell Pencil, backcountry skiing in Crested Butte\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A closer look at the Axtell Pencil.<br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_5987AxtellPencil.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"558\" alt=\"Axtell Pencil, backcountry skiing in Crested Butte.\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>Crested Butte Spring Powder Day<\/h2>\n<p>That night, the clouds actually decided to release some snow and Frank and I searched out some powder in the Crested Butte backcountry.  My camera wasn&#8217;t working, but Frank grabbed some good shots of me&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_9860Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"602\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_9885Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"580\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_9882Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"575\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-content\/gallery\/CrestedButteBCMarch2016\/IMG_9858Brittany.jpg\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" alt=\"Brittany Walker Konsella backcountry skiing in Crested Butte\" class=\"alignnone\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The slough ran fast, but it was a great powder day for sure!<\/p>\n<p>It was a fun run of a few days hanging out in our own Crested Butte backcountry, but then when the weather turned, we ventured out further in the state, exploring more lines.  There&#8217;s always so much exploring to do \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"\/\/www.avantlink.com\/link.php?ml=363251&amp;p=23393&amp;pw=29053\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After an afternoon out on the Purple S Couloir, we knew conditions were prime. It was time to do some<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":420252,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-420248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-backcountry-skiing","category-crested-butte"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=420248"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":420256,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/420248\/revisions\/420256"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/420252"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=420248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=420248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/14erskiers.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=420248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}