Buckskin Glacier

Chris Gibisch and I just spent 3 weeks on the Buckskin Glacier, climbing various things. Above is the S. Face of 8010, where we climbed the right-leaning chimney system that leads directly to the summit. We did 10 pitches of fairly difficult climbing, and got to the top in a raging snow storm. We saw no signs of previous parties, and rapelled the route.
Above is Chris standing at the base of the Couloir between the Mooses Tooth and Bear's Tooth. We climbed this gulley to the ridge at night, then spend the next day trying (unsuccessfully) to summit the Bear's Tooth. We slept and ate in the sun, waiting for it to get cold again so we could begin our descent safely. It looks short, but the route is over 3000' tall!
Above is Chirs leading a pitch on 8010.
This is the Bear's Tooth (left) and the Mooses Tooth (right). We climbed part of a route on the Mooses Tooth that consists of a right-trending chimney system above the biggest snowfield at the bottom. We went up about 3500' before being turned around about 400' below the skyline ridge by warm temps.
Me and Chris after realizing that we had gone through half our whisky supply only 5 days in to the trip. Ooops!

Chris having fun on one of our stormy attempts.

Happy to be on the Buckskin

Attempt on Moose's tooth line

 

Brewing up at the col between Moose's Tooth and Bear Tooth

Beginning the descent

Big League

Miles and I skiied Big League the other day, which consisted of shin deep light powder snow over a very stable snowpack. The run has some cliffs in it, so it's important not to ski it when there's a significant possiblity of avalanches. An awesome day, although I had to talk my way out of being arrested when I entered Alyeska Ski Area to get back to my car. Apparently you're not allowed to do that...state law or something.

Valhalla Peak

On March 20th, Christian Beckwith, Miles Raney and I drove 3 snowmachines 50 miles up the Nelchina Glacier to Mt. Valhalla. The next day we went to the top and skiied down some very icy, nasty terrain. Some of the worst skiing I've ever done, with a few decent turns thrown in. It was -30 F per thermometer on the top, and blowing a good 40-60mph. Difficult to even stand up on the top. We made it down just fine, except for a little frost nip, and also a little incident I had...my first ever fall in no-fall terrain.  Miles and I were descending from the summit with haste in declining light and conditions, and I was trying to keep up with him.  That was a huge mistake, as he's a much better skier.  If I'd have just skied at my own pace I'd have had no problem.  Both skis came off and followed me down as I slid and tumbled around 200'. I managed to self arrest, then a second later my ski hit me in the face as it was sliding fast down the fall line. Too bad I didn't have ski brakes. I'm proud that I was able to hang on to it despite nearly being KO'd. The other ski went in to a filled in crevasse and was easily retrieved with a belay, just downslope.  

 The machines had difficulty starting 2 days later when the storm was over and we wanted to leave. Mine ran so poorly that we had to abandon it on the glacier. I've since gone back and retrieved it. An amazing place with a lot of skiing potential.

My face got smashed with a ski but I'm OK now.

Captain's Chair

We skied Captain's Chair...

Valdez 2007

These are photos taken over the last 5 days skiing on Thompson Pass, near Valdez AK. We enjoyed (mostly) sunny days and stable snowpack, allowing us to ski a few really good lines. The W. Face couloir (one of them) on Diamond was full of light powder, and skiied really well all the way to the Richardson Highway...a 6500' run! We also skied RFS and Python from the tippie top...all with great snow. The best part was that there were no Helicopters yet!!

Chickaloon Ice

Jon Cobb, Jed Workman and I went ice climbing up the Chickaloon River. Driving the snowmachines up the river was pretty straight forward, but then while hiking up a side creek to some climbs, Jon fell about armpit deep in fast moving ice water. Unfortunately, he lost both of his ice axes under the ice, despite going back in the water (neck deep) twice to look for them. Her perservered though, and ended up doing a couple climbs despite being wet.

Welcome to AK!

Here's me skiing along the ridge of Tincan on my way to ski the line straight down from the highest summit visible...called Tincan Proper. An excellent 2400' line covered in 80cm of 4% powder...kinda unusual for costal AK.

Campo de Hielo Sur

Jason Kwiatkowski, Heather Thamm, Karen Hilton and I departed on a trip to do some skiing and kiting on the South Patagonian Icecap.  We got dropped off at the Rio Electrico bridge and began the approach.  A couple days later we finally put on our skis.  We based out of the hut at Paso Marconi, which was great.  We had some great days kiting and skiing around, but didn't get on anything big.  We had a fair amount of bad weather, but only were tentbound for 4 out of 18 days....which is pretty good by Patagonian standards.

Some various phots of our trip to the South Patagonian Icecap. 

Below is Karen kiting in front of Cirque of the Alters. Cerro Torre is in the cloud just behind 

her kite.

Above is Heather, just cresting Paso Marconi at about 9pm. This day was a long push, and our first on the icecap.

On our way to Lautauro, Heather fell in a crevasse on Thanksgiving day.

At Paso Marconi is a hut, just inside Chile called Refugio E. Garcia Soto.  It's an abandoned science research station where climbers and skier stay.  The guides and locals seems to keep it up pretty well.  It's a great place to spend the frequent storm days.

Argentine boot dryer.

Camp at Cirque of the Alters, Cerro Torre in the background

Ready to Lauch

Jason with a heavy load on the way out.

Patagonia

Above is a photo of Refugio Frey, where Heather, Jason and I stayed for 4 nights. We skied a bunch of the couloirs in the backround. Two of the nights, different groups of high school students stayed there (in a different building, thankfully) and were fun to talk to. It seems that an iPod transcends culture, and is a great icebreaker. They insisted on a chess match with me, which consisted of all 42 of them packed in a small room watching the game. They all clapped when I came in, and I promptly lost to their gym teacher who seemed quite skilled. We experienced hot, sunny weather...classic spring skiing conditions. Everyone is very nice and Argentina is awesome. We are headed to Calafate in 1 hour via bus...30 hours enroute. Lots of time to study spanish. More later....

Refugio kitchen

Chess was very popular.  

Sunny skiing outside Frey

Greg Collins and Hans Johnstone left some equipment at Paso Superior on Fitzroy and wanted to retrieve it.  It was left hanging at ground level, but unfortunately wind deposition buried it under about 20' of snow.  We dug a long time but eventually got it.  Bean Bowers is in the green jacket above.  

Rolando Garabotti, Greg Collins and Hans Johnstone drove to Vespignani for a ski tour on Dec 17.  Cool to see a different area.

Jorge took me sport climbing in Valle Encantado, a really nice high desert climbing area next to a beautiful river.  

Jorge Kozul's place in Bariloche.  He makes a great asado.

Tons of granite towers to climb outside Refugio Frey.  Me on top of one. 

Cody Hood on the approach

One evening we got asked to assist with the evacuation of an injured climber.  It was chaotic, and nobody was in charge, but we got it done.