Colorado Backcountry: Cameron Pass - Lake Agnes - Mt. Mahler Couloirs

Submitted by jp on Tue, 06/13/2006 - 13:06

jp
Mahler Couloirs - The Line

Video Download Link (right click - save as)

This last weekend we opted for an easy approach and exit so we made our way up Cameron Pass to Lake Agnes. Happy to see the gate to Agnes trail head open we paid the US forest Service fee and drove all the way to the cabin. The destination was the couloirs off of Mt. Mahler over looking Lake Agnes.

jp
Lake Agnes - Mt. Mahler

We hoofed up the trail about a mile or so to the lake and decided on the approach options, we skirted the southeast side of the lake and boot packed our way up the snow field and saddle between Mt. Mahler and Mt. Richthofen. Once at the top of the saddle we had a beautiful view into the heart of the Never Summer range. The Never Summers are one of my favorite ranges here in Colorado. Dave and I continued up toward the summit of Mahler looking for a good way into the chutes. Unable to drop into our first line we discussed options like tunneling through the cornice, but it was soon realized that if that was successful we would be stuck under some gnarly hangfire on a 60 degree slope -- not the safest. We made our way further along the ridge line and finally Dave spotted a place where we could drop in. Accessing this couloir was a bit of an issue as we had to down climb a cliff and then make our way back up to the enterance.

jp

Colorado Backcountry: The Tale of a Knuckledragger, a Free-Heelin’ Hippy, and The Know-It-All AT Skier

Submitted by jp on Wed, 06/07/2006 - 12:47

I'm very proud to present our second guest author and newest member of weknowsnow.com empire. Dave (iskibc) rips and doesn't take names -- so watch out. We recently completed a really fun and gnarly trip to Rocky Mountain National Park for some backcountry action. You can read Dave's account of the trip here. Be sure and check out the video, it's full of funny bushwhacking moments and lots of sweet turns down some of the steepest terrain in the park. Dave and Lacey pretty much rip.

Also, check out Dave's new blog! weknowsnow.com/iskibc/ -- I've heard rumors of a Mt. Democrat trip and I'm sure he'll be posting the details soon.

McHenrys Notch Couloir, McHenrys Peak 13,327’
jonpierre, iskibc, Lacey

McHenrys Notch Video Link or Download Link (right click - save as)

Colorado Backcountry: Exposure on Mt. Evans

Submitted by jp on Tue, 05/30/2006 - 11:51

jp
Mt. Evans Massif - Descents in Orange, Downclimb Red

Colorado Backcountry: New Mt. Trelease and Citadel Pictures

Submitted by jp on Fri, 05/26/2006 - 08:56

jp
The Crew

 
Citadel - Big Mountain

jp
JP - Toeside Surf

jp
JP

jp
Fritz and Jeremy - Cornice Drop

Colorado Backcountry: Summit Everest? Most Selfish Act On Earth?

Submitted by jp on Thu, 05/25/2006 - 06:15


Is climbing Mt. Everest most selfish act on earth? From the looks of the latest news reports this seems to be the case. Reports of thefts at camp, impossible solo attempts, and even reports of 40+ climbers stepping over and walking past a dieing fellow climber in pursuit of the summit.


I've been pretty interested in all of these current Mt. Everest expeditions and I've been following some of the teams pretty closely. I have been especially interested in the ski descent of the Great Couloir or Norton, unfortunately this team has also suffered great lose when one of the members fell while rappelling down a 50ft cliff section around 8500 meters. Mt. Everest Ski Accident

Check out some of the links and reports below for details on the crazy behavior going down during some of these Everest expeditions. Brazilian Vitor Negrete Lost On Everest After No O2 Summit, Everest Fatality Silence Mystery Solved: British David Sharp Left To Die By 40 Climbers, Chinese Everest Official Reaches New Rock Bottom Level - Forgets 3 Deaths. Current news and more information available at www.mounteverest.net and www.everytrail.net.

Colorado Backcountry: Mt. Trelease and The Citadel

Submitted by jp on Sat, 05/13/2006 - 19:47

jp
JP - Citadel

Met up with Fritz, Joe, Jeremy and Mir near the Loveland Pass turn off. We decided to bushwhack straight up Trelease and avoid the access road. The goals of the trip were to summit Mt. Trelease and hit the North Face and Ridge, from there slog to Citadel and hike the ridge to the saddle for our 2nd run. Beautiful bluebird day and good friends made the tough climbs easy. I was very surpised at the snow conditions on the North face of Trelease. Fritz picked out a technical line and dropped first into some nice powder turns. He kicked off a small slide near the choke of the couloir as I was filming from a cliff high above. The rest of the crew dropped in and made it down to the safe zone, from there we geared up and started the climb to Citadel.

jp
JP - Citadel

The climb up the ridge to Citadel was brutal after summiting Trelease and ripping down, but we knew what awaited us and we forced each other to go on. Fritz lost his lunch about half way up, and I was pretty close. We reached the saddle just below the summit of Citadel and geared up. Shera dropped first and made some turns down the left side of the chute, Fritz next. At least 1500' of wide open spring turns under bluebird skies everyone wanted another lap. I'll let the pictures and video finish the story.

jp
Trelease N. Face - Jeremy & Fritz

jp
Citadel Cornice - Joe

Syndicate content