July 13, 2008, Morning Glory Couloir, Colorado
7/13/08
US elsewhere
4105
4
Day 53
7-13-08
Pawnee Peak
Morning Glory Couloir
Its been 4 years since Ive skied in July.
Sure, Id opportunity, but the urge to summer ski just wasnt in me. Not since doing my own 2 year 'streak did the need to ski in July really throb in my bones. Skiing to complete a list? Sounds suspiciously like work. I mean, the skiing isnt really all that great after 4 months of freeze-thaw, what could be the draw other than the esoteric sliding on 'what-once-was-snow? True summer skiing, just by judging from the quality Id experienced, was solely for streakers and East Coast vacationers, right? Right. But I might as well add one: 'when my memory fades.
Saturday night: My rock climbing partners were busy, good reports of skiing mid-week from up on the divide and a burning desire to knock off another Indian Peak drove me, figuratively and literally, up to Brainerd Lake. I camped in the car and strolled away from the rolling hotel room at 5 am.
Holy Cow - I arrived at Lake Isabelle 35 minutes later. This was an unexpected surprise. Usually, the gate was closed back at Red Lake, necessitating a walk/bike/skate of a couple miles up the closed Brainerd Lake road, and then a slog up the post-holed trail. You could have a couple hours invested just to get to this view. Now, in July, this same view was achieved in a stroll of under 45 minutes. Wicked.
I was duly uninspired by what I saw. My first choice had been the North Face of Shoshone (one of the few peaks still on the hit parade for the area), but the middle and lower sections of my intended route were bare. In this year of 150% snowpack I was hoping for a bad ski down poor snow, but that wasnt even an option. What to do now? Apaches namesake and the Queens Way couloirs, both fine skis and worthy of repeats, were also past their prime. Navajos snowfield looked good, but I wanted to complete the Airplane gully descent, so let that one slide¦and returned to the Pawnee Pass trail. Lets just go check out Pawnee. Close, high and dramatic.
After another 15 minutes I got a good view of Pawnee, and a ski run down the east couloirs looked do-able. I plodded out valley to inspect.
I cross-countried directly to the base of the lower bowl, deciding that spring snowpack was the preferred mode of travel compared to the skree and talus jumping of summer.
I made it to continuous snow. It was 7 am. The snow, such as it was, was still hard from the nights freeze, so I donned crampons and goose-stepped up the steepening slope. Id skied the central couloir years before so decided to try the furthest right one, which still looked fat and enticing. Mid way up I could see the snow was uneven, runneled and hard all the way to the col, the snow surface needing a couple hours of sun just to be pleasant on the decent. I then looked left and noticed a cool, thin snow finger dropping from the buttress making the left wall, and also noted that the snow fingers exposure was due east, and had caught the first rays of sun. hmmm.
I veered left and attacked the snow finger. It wasnt long and I was above the crux, which entailed traversing left at the steepest section of the couloir to avoid the dead end skree field below. The descent was going to be exciting as any fall would have dire consequences on the rocks below. Cool. My smile widened.
At the top of the snow finger I found the slope connected with the central couloir dropping from the summit, and this slope was in the same condition as the right couloir. Between repeating a line Id done and the less than stellar skiing, I decided to call it and enjoy the snow finger.
Those top ten jump turns on the 45 degree slope above the rocks very choice! Then the long slope down to the base of the bowl better than walking.
***
It was just after 9 am when I hit the trail from Isabelle Lake back to the car. It was an endless gauntlet of the usual questions when the day-trippers saw my board. A Good or Yes thrown over my shoulder as I passed seemed to quench everyones thirst for knowledge. I think. I could be wrong.
7-13-08
Pawnee Peak
Morning Glory Couloir
Its been 4 years since Ive skied in July.
Sure, Id opportunity, but the urge to summer ski just wasnt in me. Not since doing my own 2 year 'streak did the need to ski in July really throb in my bones. Skiing to complete a list? Sounds suspiciously like work. I mean, the skiing isnt really all that great after 4 months of freeze-thaw, what could be the draw other than the esoteric sliding on 'what-once-was-snow? True summer skiing, just by judging from the quality Id experienced, was solely for streakers and East Coast vacationers, right? Right. But I might as well add one: 'when my memory fades.
Saturday night: My rock climbing partners were busy, good reports of skiing mid-week from up on the divide and a burning desire to knock off another Indian Peak drove me, figuratively and literally, up to Brainerd Lake. I camped in the car and strolled away from the rolling hotel room at 5 am.
Holy Cow - I arrived at Lake Isabelle 35 minutes later. This was an unexpected surprise. Usually, the gate was closed back at Red Lake, necessitating a walk/bike/skate of a couple miles up the closed Brainerd Lake road, and then a slog up the post-holed trail. You could have a couple hours invested just to get to this view. Now, in July, this same view was achieved in a stroll of under 45 minutes. Wicked.
I was duly uninspired by what I saw. My first choice had been the North Face of Shoshone (one of the few peaks still on the hit parade for the area), but the middle and lower sections of my intended route were bare. In this year of 150% snowpack I was hoping for a bad ski down poor snow, but that wasnt even an option. What to do now? Apaches namesake and the Queens Way couloirs, both fine skis and worthy of repeats, were also past their prime. Navajos snowfield looked good, but I wanted to complete the Airplane gully descent, so let that one slide¦and returned to the Pawnee Pass trail. Lets just go check out Pawnee. Close, high and dramatic.
After another 15 minutes I got a good view of Pawnee, and a ski run down the east couloirs looked do-able. I plodded out valley to inspect.
I cross-countried directly to the base of the lower bowl, deciding that spring snowpack was the preferred mode of travel compared to the skree and talus jumping of summer.
I made it to continuous snow. It was 7 am. The snow, such as it was, was still hard from the nights freeze, so I donned crampons and goose-stepped up the steepening slope. Id skied the central couloir years before so decided to try the furthest right one, which still looked fat and enticing. Mid way up I could see the snow was uneven, runneled and hard all the way to the col, the snow surface needing a couple hours of sun just to be pleasant on the decent. I then looked left and noticed a cool, thin snow finger dropping from the buttress making the left wall, and also noted that the snow fingers exposure was due east, and had caught the first rays of sun. hmmm.
I veered left and attacked the snow finger. It wasnt long and I was above the crux, which entailed traversing left at the steepest section of the couloir to avoid the dead end skree field below. The descent was going to be exciting as any fall would have dire consequences on the rocks below. Cool. My smile widened.
At the top of the snow finger I found the slope connected with the central couloir dropping from the summit, and this slope was in the same condition as the right couloir. Between repeating a line Id done and the less than stellar skiing, I decided to call it and enjoy the snow finger.
Those top ten jump turns on the 45 degree slope above the rocks very choice! Then the long slope down to the base of the bowl better than walking.
***
It was just after 9 am when I hit the trail from Isabelle Lake back to the car. It was an endless gauntlet of the usual questions when the day-trippers saw my board. A Good or Yes thrown over my shoulder as I passed seemed to quench everyones thirst for knowledge. I think. I could be wrong.
Incredible to see so much snow in Colorado so late in the season.
Very nice TR and thanks for sharing some info on summer riding in another part of the country.
What's the distinctive peak in the background?
Very nice TR and thanks for sharing some info on summer riding in another part of the country.
What's the distinctive peak in the background?
Incredible is right, that shot was from January, scammed off a general mountain info web page. I didn't see a photo credit or would have posted one. No camara, but alas, it was not really needed. Or wanted.
That wonderful peak in the background is none other than Mt Toll. Which, if you lived in the Front Range, you would have surely skied by now.
That wonderful peak in the background is none other than Mt Toll. Which, if you lived in the Front Range, you would have surely skied by now.
Nice work! I've spent a lot of time hikeing - camping - and sking around Pawnee, very special area. I'm glad the snow is holding out for you over there. Would love to see some more TRs!
Walker,
Too bad we couldn't coordinate this weekend. This time of year in my book its all about the ski/hike ratio and you have to choose the areas with easy access and max coverage.
I hit Arapahoe Lakes just south of Radiobeacon from Rollins Pass west side. 20 min hike to the top of up to 1000' lines. I hit 4 runs for a total vert skied in the ballpark of 2500-3000'.
Too bad we couldn't coordinate this weekend. This time of year in my book its all about the ski/hike ratio and you have to choose the areas with easy access and max coverage.
I hit Arapahoe Lakes just south of Radiobeacon from Rollins Pass west side. 20 min hike to the top of up to 1000' lines. I hit 4 runs for a total vert skied in the ballpark of 2500-3000'.
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