March 6, 2007, Chair Peak circumnavigation

Not knowing the Alpental Bc that well, two friends, Sidnie and Blitz and I hired Martin Volken for a day's touring.
Our intention was to ski Kaleetan peak and we met Martin at the Alpental lot at 7.00 am.
It was warm with low mist when we set off at about 7.30 am.

By the time we reached the cliffs below Bryant Peak at the start of the steep traverse to the Bryant col, the sun was shining and temps rising fast. Martin was concerned about ice bombs from the cliffs above so we fast paced it to the top of the col in very nasty snow.

From the col down to the Melakla lakes the skiing was on either breakable crust, frozen avalanche debris or icy slide bed surfaces. It was not pretty but we managed down. I took a bad fall when crossing one of the frozen avalanche piles and fell onto a frozen chickenhead with my side.I spent the rest of the tour in considerable pain but tried not to make a big deal of it so as to not affect everybody's tour.

At  the lake, Martin changed our objective from Kaleetan to a tour around Chair peak as conditions where way too warm and there was a big, droopy cornice in the couloir leading to the Kaleetan face.

We toured up to the next col and then skied down to Chair peak lake then back up to another col and down to Snow lake. The snow was very challenging.
Across the lake and up to the Snow lake divide , then down to Source lake. This was probbaly the best snow, very wet, very heavy but at least you could link some turns.

We where back at the car by, I think 2.30 Pm and then I drove as fast as I could to the gas station to buy some cigarettes and ibuprofen. After 4 ibuprofen and a nice smoke, I drove the ladies home while they drank beer and talked about european shoes! :D ??? ???
Very sore today, but I really enjoyed the tour, the views where incredible, the ladies very tough and Martin a great guide. :D

[Edit: fixed title]