May 13, 2003, Pineapple Pass

Went up to do the Tooth on Tuesday, and questioned whether or not to take the skis.

The road is gated at the lower parking lot, so we hoofed it to the upper lot so we could access the trail on the left side of the creek. There was compact snow once over the creek by the parking lot, and all the way up after that, onlty 2 bare spots that are easily passed.

Really sloppy, as my alpine chica friend Jessica was postholing w/o snowshoes. We left the TH @ 830am and arrived at the pass around 1130 and got to the notch at the base of the climb at noon. Unfortunately there was 3 rope teams of 2 on the route already, and just got past the first pitch. This slowed us down considerably as it was the Basic Climbing course for the Mounties. We racked up and took off, eventually passing them on the last pitch. We then waited again to rap down the route. Once down back in the basin I picked up my skis and waited myself down with the wet rope that we had to use to rap down the notch in the snow.

The skiing was horrible in the basin, total cement and potatoes. BUT, it was better than snowshoes. Once we dropped down into the lower basin and started the traverse back I set off several small avy's as I cut the slopes, with many of the slides catching my downhill ski and tried to drag me with them. They were slow moving but did gain alot of snow on their trip down the slopes.

Back to the car at 5pm, could have been a much faster ascent and descent with another skier, but there were beautiful skies, and great weather - and I have a sunburn to prove it!