Ptarmigan Traverse 5/14-16/2018

Chikamin

Sunrise before dropping into Kendall Chutes.

We crossed Silver Creek at 3800′ and made a gliding traverse to Gold Creek at 3200′ at the far end of the Alaska Mt. deposition zone.

From 3200′, travel was easy with the current snowpack.  Follow the left bank of the creek to the base of the face.

We climbed forested ramps on lookers right before climbing left into the summit chute.

Lots of novel corridors but the best fall line is in the main chute.

Huckleberry, Thomson east face looking ripe.

Steep summit slopes and perfect snow.

Lemah

Excellent summit position and views.

Harvesting corn above the choke.

Did this get groomed last night?  Perfect corn, no debris.

 

Reflecting on a great run before the easy glide back to our transition spot where we snacked in the sun and re-filled our water.

Feeling good and enjoying the pleasant tour, we retraced our route back up Silver Creek.  This 2k’ was brutal but eventually fatigue becomes euphoric and everything is hilarious.  Next, smooth evening turns down the Kendall slide path and the fast funhouse trail out to the highway. Beer. Pizza.

15.5 miles, 9500′ gain, 12.5 hours.

On the heights of despair, the passion for the absurd is the only thing that can still throw a demonic light on chaos. When all the current reasons—moral, esthetic, religious, social, and so on—no longer guide one’s life, how can one sustain life without succumbing to nothingness? Only by a connection with the absurd, by love of absolute uselessness, loving something which does not have substance but which simulates an illusion of life. I live because the mountains do not laugh and the worms do not sing.     Cioran

 

Canadian Powder: Slalok and Fissile

Eh Plus, Canada

Took a break from US powder to ski Canadian powder. Feb ’17

Cheese Ball

Canadians don’t ski the middle of the glacier like we do

Same shot, different year.

Again!

Knowing…And Going Anyway

New Project 1 from Gorp on Vimeo.

Went up in a windstorm and down in a whiteout just like the forecast promised.  She still ticked off volcano number 4 though!

Black Peak 5/6/16

Cascadian 4.17.16

Larrabee 4.10.16

Timing

is everything.

TK Photo

TK Photo

Duffey/Whistler 2/22-2/25 2016

https://vimeo.com/157349982nbsp;

First 4 photos from Todd