Utah Mountain Adventures

Despite the meager snowpack this past season, there was still some exciting skiing and climbing to be done on Mt. Superior, one of America's 50 Classic Ski Lines. On Jan. 5, we climbed and skied Suicide Chute, then continued up the knife-eged South Ridge with skis on the back. We finished by dropping the "W" or "Pinball" Chute, another East-Facing couloir. It required 2 small "mandatory airs" and a bit of creative route-finding. But, all in all, a fine day on the mountainside. Crampons recommended for the lowest portion of Suicide Chute, aka, Country Lane. Paul gets it done in the well-travelled, but smooth-skiing Suicide Chute. The Knife-edge section of the South Ridge. Note the quality snow in Couloirs below. This old goat had no harem, but seemed to be living out his years alone and happy. The final slab crux before topping out on the "Sharks Fin" where the Quartzite ends, and Slate/Shale friable rock leads to...

Thanksgiving Weekend in the Wasatch is usually a good time to tour, despite the 30" snowpack and warm, dry weather. We headed into Silver Fork and were pleasantly surprised by some high quality turns. Beacon Check...All Good Snowpit...No Slab = safe...for now Rip the skins and... Rip the Pow See you at the next Island of Safety! One good run deserves another...Back up through the Aspen Forest we go. This shot looks fresh, and the snow is soft...hmmm What better way to enjoy the Autumn sun? Than by working off some Turkey and shredding the meadows!

The South Ridge of Mt. Superior, 11,050', is a classic, mixed alpine route. It starts with a low-angle "apron" leading to a 45-degree Couloir. This connects to the knife-edged rock and snow "arete." After a spectacular summit the route descends the easier East Ridge. Crunch, crunch, crunch...up the solid spring snow of Suicide Chute. Zigging back and forth with cross-over steps we move efficiently keeping the feet flat and crampon points in the snow. This "French Technique" propels us far up the Couloir in the early morning hours. Sherman keeps his Ice Axe pick facing forward as he belays himself for security on the firm, steep slope. Ahhh...Sunrise...and we're nearing the col. The snow climbing is just about over. Keeping the crampons on for the occasional snow step, we find the points work fine even on dry Quartzite. Using the rope for added security we employ "running and fixed belays" on the more difficult and exposed sections. Althou...

Cardiff Fork is home to the universally acclaimed Cardiac Bowl (left with shadow) and Cardiac Ridge (far right), two of the finest backcountry runs in the USA. The fall-lines are long and wide enough for dozens of runs, side-by-side; they get snow early and share the Northeast Aspect, where the more snow falls, less wind blows and the sun is rarely strong enough to crust the surface. Many touring parties stay in Lodges at Alta or Snowbird and can basically cross the street (Little Cottonwood Canyon Road), slap on climbing skins, and start touring. At the end of the day, they will catch a Utah Transit Authority bus in Big Cottonwood Canyon and ride back up to Alta. Parties staying in Salt Lake, Park City or such can meet at a bus stop and take public transit to the trailhead. Before entering avalanche terrain the guide checks everyone for beacon compatibility and range. After 1400' of skinning the party reaches Powerline Pass on the divide between Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons....

White Pine Parking Lot, 7,700', one mile below Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon, is THE trailhead for a mega-zone of backcountry ski terrain. White Pine itself is the eastern-most of the 5 skiable gulches that drain into LCC. The forested terrain down low is great for safe, peaceful, and scenic skinning. Skins come off at the top for blissful wiggling through the fluffy meadows. Mid-altitude evergreen glades offer wind-sheltered powder on the edges of the more open terrain. Before venturing onto more committing lines, avalanche danger must be carefully assessed. The guide performs a Compression Test in a snowpit and decides to open up this tasty poke underneath a rocky point called The Spire. If the snow and weather are both stable, the bigger lines on Red Baldy (in background between skiers) and Lake Peak become great options. Below, a skier reaps the reward of his labors with untracked powder on the broad Northwest Face of Red Baldy, 11,170'. Another set of tracks is jus...

If you live or play in Utah and you aren’t backcountry skiing in late February and March, you are missing out! This is when it “goes off” in the Wasatch, if its ever going to. Granted, in some seasons, it’s just not wise to ski Bonkers and especially Stairs Gulch, but if the snowpack is going to get deep and strong enough, mid-to late-season is usually the time. March 8, 2009, was just such an occasion. To make it even harder to go to the office, and easier to skip out and go skiing, it was clear and calm, and there was a foot of fresh, windless powder icing the cake. Given this textbook-perfect situation, it just made sense to head for the greatest ski tour in the Wasatch. Broads Fork and Stairs Gulch offer the best bang for the buck in terms of big classic lines. One skin trail, two epic runs! It's really ski mountaineering terrain, but thanks to a 100-inch snowpack, we did all the climbing with skins on. The enormity of these glacial-carved north-facing bowls and cirques, virtua...