June 14, 2009, Trail Ridge Road, RMNP
6/14/09
3095
6
Day 49
June 14th, 2009
Trail Ridge Road, RMNP
My patience had run its course.
My yearning, wishing and general thought-control had little impact on the snow at 6:45 am. The sun was shining, oh yes, but it was 35 degrees and blowing a gust. If ideal was the goal, I could be here until August. Fuck it.
I slid off the shelf below the summit and cruised out onto the smooth snow. The hour and a half of daylight has begun to soften the upper crust, but alas, it was still a crust. A smooth crust, be thankful for that, but a crust none-the-less.
Surprisingly, the snow skied remarkably well, and I found myself carving fine s-turns down the ever steepening slope. I was really starting to enjoy myself as I lost elevation, found shelter from the summit winds and the angle of the slope turned more toward the early sun. Just as fast, the fun ended. The steep lower head-wall approached on the horizon and I slowed to a stop. I bent down and felt the snow. It was glazed over with the night-time frost. It was going to be some time before it softened enough to be fun. I did not, I reminded myself, need to ski this last section. I scooted over to the edge of the couloir and took off the board. Time to go exploring.
I had taken a long look from the meadows down in Estes at the East Wall, and figured an approach from below on a longer tour would be the ticket. I started to climb in that direction.
At 7:45 am I was standing on the cornice of a stunning couloir. Very steep (55 degrees) where I stood, facing due East soaking in the sun, the snow surface was perfect. 2 inches of corn, out of the the wind and Colorado blue bird sky. This was IT!
"I've found the Green Eggs and Ham couloir - perfect vitals for an early morning corn ski!" I said to myself. Oh boy, I was ecstatic.
I strapped on and edged over to where I could drop in. The steepness immediately consumed me. All extraneous thoughts ceased. I slid out onto the face and jump turned - and the edge bit beautifully. I crept back across the slope and jumped again. Holy shit, this sucker is steep. In the back of my mind the "climb it before you ski it" mantra bounced around in my head - nope, can't afford to have negative thoughts - and I suppressed my fear.
The couloir narrowed to a board and half wide and I set up with a couple turns to negotiate the crux. I slipped in and took the narrow bottleneck on my heel side, skiing out the bottom in ever increasingly good corn snow.
I let out a shout of joy - this was fantastic! Below, the run out ended in talus, but to my left the line continued down past the 200 foot cliff band that bordered the left margin of the East Wall. I skied over to the cliff band.
Oh, man, this gets better and better - below the snow slope dived 50 degrees between the 200 foot cliffs on the left and the talus field on the right. A 50 foot wide swath of smooth corn ran for another couple hundred vertical feet. I dropped in and took the slope in one sitting. Divine!
At the bottom I put on my crampons and grabbed my ice axe. I charged back up the slope, Trail Ridge Road inverse tour stylee.
***
8:30 am
As I approached my car, a car driving by slowed and proceeded to do a u-turn a little further up the road. I arrived at my car, popped the trunk, and dropped by pack and board inside. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the car pull in behind my car (I was the only car parked at this hour). I knew what was coming. I got in, closed the door. In my rear view mirror I watched a young tourist punk approach my door. I proceeded to ignore him as he stood there.
tap, tap, tap - on my window...I stopped arranging my victory bowl and looked at him.
I opened the door a crack and raised my chin slightly indicating him to speak.
"I saw you walking back with your snowboard. Is there good snowboarding where you came from?" He looked eager for beta, jazzed to be in the know.
"Yes." I said, and closed my door.
He stood agape for a second, waiting for me to fill him in on the score. I went back to what I was doing. "Thanks." He said sarcastically and walked away.
Somehow this exchange put the icing on an already divine cake.
June 14th, 2009
Trail Ridge Road, RMNP
My patience had run its course.
My yearning, wishing and general thought-control had little impact on the snow at 6:45 am. The sun was shining, oh yes, but it was 35 degrees and blowing a gust. If ideal was the goal, I could be here until August. Fuck it.
I slid off the shelf below the summit and cruised out onto the smooth snow. The hour and a half of daylight has begun to soften the upper crust, but alas, it was still a crust. A smooth crust, be thankful for that, but a crust none-the-less.
Surprisingly, the snow skied remarkably well, and I found myself carving fine s-turns down the ever steepening slope. I was really starting to enjoy myself as I lost elevation, found shelter from the summit winds and the angle of the slope turned more toward the early sun. Just as fast, the fun ended. The steep lower head-wall approached on the horizon and I slowed to a stop. I bent down and felt the snow. It was glazed over with the night-time frost. It was going to be some time before it softened enough to be fun. I did not, I reminded myself, need to ski this last section. I scooted over to the edge of the couloir and took off the board. Time to go exploring.
I had taken a long look from the meadows down in Estes at the East Wall, and figured an approach from below on a longer tour would be the ticket. I started to climb in that direction.
At 7:45 am I was standing on the cornice of a stunning couloir. Very steep (55 degrees) where I stood, facing due East soaking in the sun, the snow surface was perfect. 2 inches of corn, out of the the wind and Colorado blue bird sky. This was IT!
"I've found the Green Eggs and Ham couloir - perfect vitals for an early morning corn ski!" I said to myself. Oh boy, I was ecstatic.
I strapped on and edged over to where I could drop in. The steepness immediately consumed me. All extraneous thoughts ceased. I slid out onto the face and jump turned - and the edge bit beautifully. I crept back across the slope and jumped again. Holy shit, this sucker is steep. In the back of my mind the "climb it before you ski it" mantra bounced around in my head - nope, can't afford to have negative thoughts - and I suppressed my fear.
The couloir narrowed to a board and half wide and I set up with a couple turns to negotiate the crux. I slipped in and took the narrow bottleneck on my heel side, skiing out the bottom in ever increasingly good corn snow.
I let out a shout of joy - this was fantastic! Below, the run out ended in talus, but to my left the line continued down past the 200 foot cliff band that bordered the left margin of the East Wall. I skied over to the cliff band.
Oh, man, this gets better and better - below the snow slope dived 50 degrees between the 200 foot cliffs on the left and the talus field on the right. A 50 foot wide swath of smooth corn ran for another couple hundred vertical feet. I dropped in and took the slope in one sitting. Divine!
At the bottom I put on my crampons and grabbed my ice axe. I charged back up the slope, Trail Ridge Road inverse tour stylee.
***
8:30 am
As I approached my car, a car driving by slowed and proceeded to do a u-turn a little further up the road. I arrived at my car, popped the trunk, and dropped by pack and board inside. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the car pull in behind my car (I was the only car parked at this hour). I knew what was coming. I got in, closed the door. In my rear view mirror I watched a young tourist punk approach my door. I proceeded to ignore him as he stood there.
tap, tap, tap - on my window...I stopped arranging my victory bowl and looked at him.
I opened the door a crack and raised my chin slightly indicating him to speak.
"I saw you walking back with your snowboard. Is there good snowboarding where you came from?" He looked eager for beta, jazzed to be in the know.
"Yes." I said, and closed my door.
He stood agape for a second, waiting for me to fill him in on the score. I went back to what I was doing. "Thanks." He said sarcastically and walked away.
Somehow this exchange put the icing on an already divine cake.
Agreed. Why ruin a great day with crappy attitude.
If said individual came to my car with a topo map and asked if I just skied yada yada yada....and how was it? - I would have jumped all over him with good will and advice. He did not, and I have no time for tourists who feel entitled to information.
If you are unhappy with how I handled an uninvited intrusion on my personal space, oh well. I'm just not that gregarious. (obviously)
You might have been kinder in a similar situation, and good for you.
If you are unhappy with how I handled an uninvited intrusion on my personal space, oh well. I'm just not that gregarious. (obviously)
You might have been kinder in a similar situation, and good for you.
Well, I for one, think that your ending comments were hilarious! If you ever get a chance to do that to me, rest assured, I'll enjoy the joke in reverse as I walk back to my car unenlightened. Be careful up there soloing MW88888.
Having only skied it once, I recall it being easy fly paper for the unsuspecting gaper - starts out nearly flat then slowly rolls over more and more until your uphill hand is on the wall of the OhmygawdIcan't believehowsteepthisis. I thought it was funny, too, as I assumed you to be of usual good cheer in the BC, though you wanted no part of encouraging someone you felt a vibe of unpreparedness from.
Petey - yes on all points. Sounds like Sundance Bowl - perhaps the best line up there for sure.
Rusty - thanks, will do.
Rusty - thanks, will do.
Awesome Michael, just awesome.
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