Squeezing in a couple favorites

Over the May 19-20th weekend we got in a few more fun spring couloirs. I had to go to Las Vegas for work for a couple days so it was especially refreshing to get back on Saturday and find that the Pipeline Couloir smooth (no runnel), wide, and that continuous snow ran from the top all the way to the creekside parking area. Not bad given the low snow year. 

After we finished we took a look at Mt Superior and it seemed like the choke/waterfall on Suicide Chute wasn't too tricky. We went back to ski it the next day and the conditions we so fun that we did it twice.

Its really winding down now... I'm not finished yet but I'm starting the process of cleaning/storing gear for the summer. We're gone for Memorial Day so the first weekend of June will be the next (and probably last) chance to ski this spring.

Pipeline

Suicide Chute

 

Not Over It

More trail running than ski days this week but snce conditions are still pretty darn good, we skied a couple of our favorites on Thursday and Saturday. After work on Thursday we did a Main Chute (smooth snow) and then on Saturday were surprised by cloudy and almost COLD weather in the morning, but still managed to grab a little forbidden fruit before it all melts off and did our annual "Snowbird is closed so go climb and ski the Pipeline."

Thursday June 15

Main Chute at Alta...

Saturday June 17

Pipeline Couloir at Snowbird...

Better pictures of Pipeline: 2015 - 2016

Final Turns of the 15-16 Ski Season (Century Club!)

Panoramic from Red Stack - Andrea looking down Little Cottonwood Canyon. White Pine to the left, Gad Valley to the right.

This past weekend (June 4-5) wrapped up the 2015-2015 ski season for us. We could get in some more days on snow, but we're headed to Europe in a couple days! I got in 100 days, while Andrea skied 76 days. It was a hell of a season!

Now things are about to get busy... Europe, Wedding, Europe again... I'm destined to fall way behind on the blog over the next two months. Instagram will probably be the place to follow along on our non-skiing adventures for a while.

Some thoughts that I'm copying and pasting from my running log, and then pictures...

I think we took advantage of just about every flake of snow we possibly could have this year: Lots of Wasatch powder days. Road trips to Sun Valley, Jackson, and Aspen. Spring/Summer chuting. Explored new terrain and re-visited old favorites. Crossed a few items off the bucket list, and added plenty more. Chasing 100 days might seem silly in some ways, but 100 days on skis is 100 days in the mountains, sliding around on snow... and I don't know how you can really top that.

Last winter my excitement for skiing was renewed, but this year it really became my primary passion again and I just loved it. I've already been thinking about the places I want to ski next year - Uintas, La Sals, Rubys, etc. There are so many places to explore and enjoy, even right in the Central Wasatch, that we haven't scratched the surface on yet.

Saturday June 4th

Snowbird's forbidden fruit - Pipeline Couloir followed by Red Stack's NE face.

Sunday June 5th

Two hot laps on Main Chute to finish it off!

The Best Memorial Day Weekend

Looking down Little Cottonwood Canyon from the top of Mt Baldy on May 29th.
I love the contrast between seasons - winter, spring, and summer are all in view.

After skiing 4 days in a row (May 11-14) and writing the last blog post, I only skied twice from May 15-26! We were busy with life stuff, and the weather wasn't working in our favor (lots of thunderstorms). Fortunately it stayed cool (enough) and the snowpack didn't melt too much at higher elevations during this stretch. 

Early in the week it looked like the Memorial Day Weekend weather wasn't going to be great for skiing, but luckily the forecast was totally wrong. We had sunshine every day and took full advantage. Between the time I left work on Friday afternoon and got to work on Tuesday morning, I was able to make 5 more notches in the "ski 100 days" belt. More importantly, we had SO MUCH FUN. It was easily our best Memorial Weekend ever!

The day by day photo rundown...

Friday May 27

Started off the long weekend on the right note by skinning up to the summit of Mt Baldy after work and skiing Little Chute (Andrea's first time skiing that line). She loved it and wanted to do it again on Saturday...

Saturday May 28

With the snow still going all the way down to the road, we knew it was prime time for Suicide Chute, and caught it in excellent conditions. Then we went to Alta and skied Baldy/ Little Chute again!

Suicide Chute is the obvious line that shoots to the left from this vantage point about 1/3rd of the way up Mt Superior.
We both wish there was going to be enough snow to ski this on our wedding morning, but it will be melted out by then. We needed another 200" of snow this winter!

Always awesome to realize Andrea's iPhone is somewhere in Home Depot when you are getting ready to sleep! :-)

Sunday May 29

Back to Alta for the third day in a row, taking full advantage of their "second season." First stop was Baldy/ Main Chute, then we skied another one of the Baldy Chutes that we don't know the name of, and finished with one more off the high traverse.

In between skiing we unpacked and started to put together our new house. As Andrea captured perfectly in this photo, I LOVE THIS PROCESS!!!

Monday May 30

We started the morning by going back to Suicide Chute. Conditions were even better than Saturday - smooth and soft! We had one day left on our Mountain Collective passes, and it was closing day at Snowbird, so that was our next stop - a couple hours of FORMAL lift-served turns!

Tuesday May 31

Solo dawn patrol back up Mt Baldy to ski Main Chute. It was early, and surprisingly the snow got a good freeze overnight. Skier's left of the chute had softened up, but the rest of the descent was combat skiing. Another hour and everything would have been nice and soft, but I had to get to work and couldn't wait around.

I can't think of a better place to start the day