Teepee Glacier

This past weekend I headed up into Garnett Canyon again for some more skiing. Our 5 am departure allowed us to skin to Garnett Canyon meadows for sunrise. From there it got a little steeper and quite slick and firm. As we turned up the headwall by Spaulding Falls, which was totally buried, we opted to start bootpacking to avoid sliding all the way back down which could easily have happened. Kicking steps in was quite solid. This first picture was taken on the way up this headwall with the Middle Teton in the background.


On the way up, we were able to look back at Nez Perce across the canyon and get a good view of last months objective, the Hourglass Couloir, angling up the rocky face.

Here we are approaching the col where we crested over into Glacier Gulch.

At this point we have skied the Teepee Glacier into Glacier Gulch. The Teepee Pillar is the spire directly at the top of couloir. The glacier appears to be buried. That is the Grand Teton dominating the right side of the picture.
I had never been in Glacier Gulch before, but hope to return soon. It was quite breathtaking with lots of skiing possibilities. The last shot is looking back up as we descended back towards the valley. The shot we skied can been seen in the notch just left of the Grand. Mount Owen is on the right.

Carpe Diem

Today, bluebird and approaching 40 degrees, is a nice day. Snowpack and recreation aside, it's a damn fine day simply to be alive.

Last week, a fellow co-worker of Chrissy's at Isis lost her lifelong soul mate and life partner to a long fought battle with cancer. He was 24 years old. He never let it get the best of him, returning to work again and again against his doctors wishes. He lost his hair, his hearing, sensation in several parts of his body, and never once did he ask anyone to feel sorry for him. Lee, though I never met him, struck me as the kind of guy we'd all get along with. We are offered lessons every once in a while, and too often they include reminders that you'd better get after life when you're able. If you've been given the opportunity to live a healthy life today, consider yourself blessed and do all with it that you can.

I'm headed up to the hill this afternoon for a little corn harvesting and beer tipping in the sunshine. Lee, buddy, I'll put one back for you man. Cheers and Carpe Diem.

Hut trip, Need Cash + Friends!

So I just booked a Hut Trip at Margy's Hut on March 6 & 7, 2010. I booked the WHOLE hut for Saturday and Sunday Night! That's 16 people! It's all ours baby!! So I need to find 16 people to join me for some sick backcountry skiing, Bota bags of wine, European cheese, and various other shenanigans! Margy's hut is near Aspen and has great views of the Elk Mountains and good skiing terrain. Here is a link with more details: http://www.huts.org/hut_details/margy_hut_details.html. I was thinking we could stay in Glenwood Springs, CO the night before (Friday Night) in a hotel then push out on Saturday and ski out on Monday afternoon. Cost for two nights at the hut is $60 per person (it is Colorado!!), hotel w/hot tub is $30 pp = $90 bucks for lodging & 3 days of skiing!!! If it's something where you KNOW you can go, please contact me as soon as possible as I'm trying to pay off the $960 dollars they charged my Credit Card! Thanks yall,

TK

What I hate...

I hate it when I am jealous of the skiing on the East coast.

There, I said it.