Spearhead Traverse Day 2 of 3 Feb 20, 2010
2/15/10
1820
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Day 2 of 3
Today we tried to ski the summit chute on Mt Cheakamus (2588m) but failed. We turned back at a faceted exposed ridgeline climbing direct up the summit chute then dog-legging to try to get to the summit direct instead of contouring across the face. It was still a good ski. To be honest, I don't know if I would have had the balls to try to turn the (reputed) 60 deg summit face direct. Instead we were content with good snow down the lower more lower angled 55 deg middle face.
Our route took us from the previous day's base camp at the toe of the Fitzsimmons Glacier, up to the col overlooking the Overlord Gl then up past the cornices overhanging the Benvolio Gl, through Fitz - Benvolio Gl, down the Diavolo Gl and to the base of Cheakamus. After our attempt and descent we retreated the same way then skied down the Overlord Gl and to the Russet Lk hut for a total of 2300m vert for the day over 28km. For some strange reason neither Paul nor Wilkes wanted to do a Fitzsimmons lap perhaps deterred by the shiny windslab on its face and the extra 3 - 400m vert it would require.
More - http://www.leelau.net/2010/spearheadtraverse2010_02/cheakamus2010_02_20/
http://vimeo.com/9682190
Today we tried to ski the summit chute on Mt Cheakamus (2588m) but failed. We turned back at a faceted exposed ridgeline climbing direct up the summit chute then dog-legging to try to get to the summit direct instead of contouring across the face. It was still a good ski. To be honest, I don't know if I would have had the balls to try to turn the (reputed) 60 deg summit face direct. Instead we were content with good snow down the lower more lower angled 55 deg middle face.
Our route took us from the previous day's base camp at the toe of the Fitzsimmons Glacier, up to the col overlooking the Overlord Gl then up past the cornices overhanging the Benvolio Gl, through Fitz - Benvolio Gl, down the Diavolo Gl and to the base of Cheakamus. After our attempt and descent we retreated the same way then skied down the Overlord Gl and to the Russet Lk hut for a total of 2300m vert for the day over 28km. For some strange reason neither Paul nor Wilkes wanted to do a Fitzsimmons lap perhaps deterred by the shiny windslab on its face and the extra 3 - 400m vert it would require.
More - http://www.leelau.net/2010/spearheadtraverse2010_02/cheakamus2010_02_20/
http://vimeo.com/9682190
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