Home > Trip Reports > June 18, 2006, Denman Bloody Chutes

June 18, 2006, Denman Bloody Chutes

6/18/06
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Posted by Zap on 6/18/06 2:36pm
Jill and I met Jeanette and Darryl at the Reflection Lakes pullout at 8:30am.  The clouds/fog were still concealing the slopes towards Castle and Pinnacle.  Unfortunately, Ron €œGarmin€ Jarvis was unavailable so we had to travel without the €œscout€. Today€™s journey was to Plummer Peak and a descent of Denman Chutes.  We skinned up along the traditional route towards Castle/Pinnacle and then did a climbing traverse to the right towards the base of the cliffs below Pinnacle.  We were chatting a bit too much and climbed too high.  Once we regained consciousness, we left the skins on and descended about 150 vertical to a bench at 5100 feet then booted down about 100€™ through the trees to the base of the cliffs. We traversed to the base of Denman Chutes over old avy debris and a firm sun cupped surface. We put on the ski crampons and started ascending the slope on climbers left.  The slope is steep for about 100 vertical then is more relaxed for awhile before the final steep pitch at the ridge line below Plummer Peak.  The thin cloud layer provided comfortable climbing conditions and there was a hint of the sun burning through. Darryl was chugging ahead and finally decided that it would be faster to saddle the skis as we approached the steep final pitch.  I was still using the ski crampons, but it was obvious that I was running out of traction and would have to saddle the skis. Jeanette and Jill were about 100 yards below us chatting away.

Suddenly, I heard Jeanette yell,€ Jill fell€.  I turned around and only saw Jeanette standing on a small ridge looking down the slope.  Jill wasn€™t visible. We exchanged a few words and Jeanette suggested we turn on our radios and I locked onto her channel.  I was on a steep face and Darryl was off to one side and quickly putting on his skis.  By the time I was able to kick a trench and remove the ski crampons and skins both Darryl and Jeanette had descended to Jill.  When I radioed Jeanette about Jill€™s condition she replied €œshe has a cut above her eye and it looks like someone butchered an elk€. Before I descended, I heard that they had stopped the bleeding.  It was easy to locate the group, just follow the red blotches in the snow.  Once down to Jill, Darryl and Jeanette had everything under control and Jill was a bit shaken but stable.  It appears that Jill€™s lower ski slipped out while ascending the steep slope. Most likely the ski was on edge with only a bit of carpet in contact with the snow and the ski crampon was between sun cup ridges, and the ski slipped. Unfortunately, she slid and cart wheeled about 30-40 feet before being able to stop.  One ski, the downhill ski, released and wind milled because of the ski leash and cut her above the eye, resulting in a nice goose egg. We sat a bit while she iced her  head, and finally decided to ski down. Luckily, Jill was able to ski down slope and ascend the ridge for the ski out.  She€™s doing fine, except for a half inch cut above her eye near the hair line, in a €œDetermination line€ as Jeanette explained. 

The coverage in the Plummer Peak and Denman area is excellent.  There are sun cups developing on the shallow terrain but the steeper pitches have shallower cups.  We approached from the front side and climbed the terrain we planned to ski.  An alternative would be to climb the standard route to Castle saddle then descend the opposite side and  do a traverse behind Pinnacle to the saddle between Pinnacle and Plummer Peak.  This area has some wonderful steep lines and in all the years I have skied here, I have rarely seen any other skiers.  It was great to ski with Jeanette and Darryl, and we€™ve got a great story about Denman €œBloody€ Chutes for future campfires.

Zap & Jill
Wow.
I leave you kids alone for just one weekend and look what I get:
Broken bodies and blemished and defaced chutes.
Did I mention to you guys that the beer was for after the tour?

Looks like you followed protocol though; looks like you turned around when someone quit having fun  ;).
Good call.

Sorry I missed the Bloody Chutes Fest.  Hope Jill's on a rapid mend cycle.

Glad to hear you guys made it out alive.
Zap, you are lucky that Jill is such a tough chick, if she weren't it sounds like an involved rescue could have happened. Way to go Jill!
P-tex side down!!!!!
;D

author=jdclimber link=topic=4954.msg20877#msg20877 date=1150737676]
...Zap, you are lucky that Jill is such a tough chick..   ...Way to go Jill!


Good point, JD.
It kind of reminds me of the description Maureen said one of her friends used in describing her and other women that climb to ski:

author=ron j link=topic=4954.msg20873#msg20873 date=1150728477]
I leave you kids alone for just one weekend and look what I get

Yep that will teach ya to be gone, when the cat's away the mice will play  ;). 

Glad that our "weekend warrior" wasn't seriously hurt.  During the whole ordeal Jill was still able to keep that great smile.  It was a good day to spend with friends, the skiing was great, only sorry that Jill have to give up those extra turns with her long slide.  I think Jill and I are going to have to teach these guys how to put a band aid on without the sticky side on the hair :D.

Wow!!
Quite an event. Glad to hear that it just ended in blood and simple cut rather than something more severe.
Good report Zap,  I may have to get out there someday.
It makes a case for the Whippits on the poles, which I have not invested in and wonder on some kick turns if this lower ski possibly slips, it won't be good.

Let's see if I have this right-
Zap and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pair of corn turns.
Jill fell down, got a bloody crown.
And Mad Dog came following after. ;)

Joe

author=Mad_Dog link=topic=4954.msg20886#msg20886 date=1150748888]
I think Jill and I are going to have to teach these guys how to put a band aid on without the sticky side on the hair :D.



Huh, I thought MD was short for Mad Dog not medical doctor. 

Thanks Jill for the opportunity to practice my MOFA skills.  For the future, I recommend that you ask the first aid person if they are MOFA-trained before you let them touch you.  If they are MOFA-trained, tell them that you are not hurt and that you just collided with an elk that was being butchered.  Glad to hear that you are ok.

Zap failed to mention in his trip report that he made 3 runs in the upper bowl before skiing down to the accident site. 

So that's what took him so long to get down...  I kept wondering why he wasn't there sooner.  Thanks again to Darryl and Jeanette for their prompt assistance, and to all of you for your concern.  All is well at this end; the goose egg is going down, and the shiner is coming up! No more scary falls for this 'chick on sticks'. -- Jill

Ron, that is too funny.

("mmmmmmmmmmmm....  gnaaarrrly mmmountain bitchezzz....")



Anyway, uh, while I'm here posting in this thread... glad no one got too too seriously injured.  :)

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2006-06-18 21:36:04