Home > Trip Reports > June 20, 2012, - South Face, Colfax Peak

June 20, 2012, - South Face, Colfax Peak

6/20/12
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
4081
8
Posted by Tundra X on 6/21/12 8:00am
I'd call this the Birthday Tour v37.0 since it was my 37th lap around the sun yesterday, but would anyone care? Doubt it . . . Skied this mildly obscure gem yesterday with Sam L  - plus a few more nice runs to round out our day.

A strong south wind kept the snow cool through midday and conditions were generally good when we dropped in at around noon. The only sketchy-ness came dodging the crux runnel on a skiers right hanging snow ramp. It looked like the way to go but ened up being very rotten snow on a steep and exposed crest. I don't think it was a timing/warming issue as the snow lower down promptly returned to firm corn-esque. That section probably just loads in deeper with the prevailing winds and takes more time to firm up . . . anybody else run into these conditions?

An interesting line that is gets progressively steeper and narrower the lower you get. The crux comes when you think you're through the meat.

We transitioned at ~7700' on the Deming and roped up for the climb back up to the Colfax-Baker saddle - kind of a no man's land of huge crevasses bridged by warming snow. Skied fall line from the saddle through the partly broken Coleman Glacier to 6600' then made the flat skin to Grouse Creek. Snow to ~4000' then a quick forest walk back to the TH. Generally nice skiing with a little punchi-ness in the newer snow here and there around 7000'. . .

Better photos on the blog in the next few days . . .
Happy belated Lee !  Just back from Garibaldi - nice tour, 3' pole penetration 300' below summit, baled.

Another Photo



Good skiing with you Lee

thats a sick line! how long do you think it will be in?

author=Eckels link=topic=25180.msg106456#msg106456 date=1340568102]
thats a sick line! how long do you think it will be in?


Not long. it was pretty touchy when we were there. the top looks deceptively good, but at the bottom it was decently hairball. Be careful if you go, and bring a rope for getting out below, the glacier was pretty sketchy below the line.

Words and more of Sam's sick pic's here for those of you who are "into that kind of thing" . . .



author=lazzara link=topic=25180.msg106461#msg106461 date=1340575865">
Words and more of Sam's sick pic's here for those of you who are "into that kind of thing" . . .


Wow! Nice work...stepping out into space on a couple of those shots! As one of those who is "in to those type of things!" Thanks!

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june-20-2012-south-face-colfax-peak
Tundra X
2012-06-21 15:00:38