RMNP Conditions Report - Jan. 31, 2011

 Longs Peak viewed from Flattop's S. Face

These have been a busy last 10 days, full of snow, ice, and lots going here at the Colorado Mountain School.  There have been lots of guides in the Park in the last two weeks and I've been out nearly every day.  So between all of us, we're bringing you the most current updates on Park conditions.

Right Gully and Big Mac Couloir looking good on McHenrys

Our last big snow storm wrapped up mid-month and life was good for a while.  But then on the 23rd the winds raged in the Park, hammering the windward slopes and laying down thick wind-slab everywhere else.  While this helped to make backcountry travel easier, on the one hand, it more of less destroyed the quality of skiing we'd been enjoying on the other.  The upside was the relative calm we've enjoyed since Sunday, with warm temps and little-to-no wind.  Often it'll be calm and warm along the Front Range but raging here in the Park.  But this week has been warm all around. 

The Squid on Wednesday, Jan. 26

The avalanche danger was high for most of the week but the blue skies and warm temps have helped to heal the fragile snow-pack.  But the scars remain and weak interfaces between various wind-slabs exist on all leeward aspects (N-NE-E-SE-S).  But either from stronger winds or lower snowfall totals, the Park seems to have a lower avalanche danger than other Front Range areas.  All week we were hunting for good snow and fun terrain, easing into steeper and bigger terrain throughout the week.  But we saw very few signs of instability except for some very sensitive cornices formed on the boulders along Chaos Creek in the Lake Haiyaha area.  Investigating the failure layer, we determined that these cornices were failing on a surface hoar layer forming locally due to open water still running in the creek.  Elsewhere, stability seemed reasonable.  But that may soon come to an end. 

Side-slipping into the start of the "Do Not Descend" Couloir on Flattop's S. Face

Skiing the "DND" Couloir in great conditions, Jan. 26

 Enjoying turns near the bottom of the "DND" Couloir

Arctic air with low-density snow is scheduled to hit the Park in the coming days.  We're not forecasted to rec'v much new snow but I expect the winds will bring our avalanche danger levels up again.  On solar aspects, a melt-freeze layer has developed over the last three warm days, though it's less prolific higher in the alpine and on E-NE-N-NW aspects.  (I can't say for sure, but I bet this slick snow surface contributed to the climbing accident above Peacock Pool yesterday).  The new snow will likely not bond well to this slick surface crust and we can expect sluffing on steep terrain.  Another concern are potential near-surface facets that may have formed during these warm days and cold nights (difficult in wind slab but possible elsewhere); these facets would become a weak layer once buried.  I would anticipate this being an issue only in isolated areas.  "Whumpfing" in the snow-pack is a great indicator of instability.

Looking up at the Dragontail area

With the warm weather and intense solar radiation, the south-facing ice routes have suffered somewhat.  "The Squid" was looking great on Wednesday but, just a few days later, the bottom portion seems to either have sublimated away or fallen off.  "Jaws" is similar.  I got a great look at "The Crypt" and the Freezer Burn areas on Tuesday; both looked good at the time.  Actually, the Freezer Burn area had the most ice on it I've seen in a while.  If you haven't been up there to check it out, there's a day's worth of climbing to keep you busy (and a few promising mixed-lines if you're inclined).  Reportedly, the "Fang" in Vail has once again fallen off and is reforming.  With the super-cold temperatures hitting our area, free-standing pillars should be avoided while other ice will be quite brittle. 

Hiking up...

 Rapping in...

 And making turns in the RMNP backcountry

For more north-facing areas, the ice seems to be doing fine.  CMS Guide Eric Whewell was in the Black Lake area this week and reported great ice on "W. Gully," "Yellow Tears," and the "Black Lake Slabs."  He also noticed fat ice on McHenry's N. Face.  I saw an ice line coming off the SE Face of Hallet, looker's left of the "Elevator Shaft" ski descent.  Other guides have reported new ice on Otis as well.

Enjoying beautiful weather in the Park

Currently, the trails are hammered into firm shape and snowshoes would only be necessary for the traction they provide.  One snowshoe guide lamented that there are so many trails throughout the Park that there's nowhere to go where someone hasn't already been.  Take "Mario Gully," for example (the Chaos Creek drainage); there are more tracks in there than any other slope in the Park.  Thanks to the popularization of the named ski runs, you're going to have to hunt harder and farther for your turns these days.  For the guides this is less of an issue but if you don't know the Park well enough to comfortably explore, you may consider hiring a guide. 

Beautiful temps for climbing in Eldo this week

If you have observations you'd like to share, or if you just have questions about something I haven't mentioned, please feel free to e-mail me at acouncell@totalclimbing.com.  Hopefully you're reading this from the comforts of the indoors; it's gonna be cold this week!  Thanks for reading and stay safe out there.

Andrew Councell is a CMS Guide and year-round Estes Park resident

Why Have Straight Tails On Your Skis?

It is a question I have heard for some time. Why have straight tails on your skis? The usual answer involves creating snow anchors while ski guiding. Well, I have a new answer because of an adventure I had last Thursday (January 20th) in the Wasatch range near Salt Lake City Utah with a good friend Matt. The new answer is the ski tails can be used as ice/snow axes to penetrate a layer of ice and enable you to climb out of a dangerous situation. For the real life story read below.

The Plan was simple. Ski a nice south facing shot off of Cardiff and get to my ten o’clock meeting at the Outdoor Retailer show. Matt and I skinned up to the top of Cardiff and could not decide on what line to ski. Do we ski Little Superior, Two Trees, the southwest line off the summit of Cardiff (I had never skied this line) that goes by the Hells Gate cliffs, or Cardiff bowl? We worried about avy danger down low on the Hells Gate line as there are cliffs and funnels through them we were not psyched to get flushed through. After a discussion we were both comfortable with the avy danger and decided to ski the Hells Gate line. I would like to mention that on the prior Tuesday there had been a rain event and then freeze creating a “new ground level” according to the avy forcast. It had snowed after the rain event and created a relatively good bond with the rain crust.

Off we went with Matt going first and leading us through great powder and interesting terrain. The first 1,500 feet flew by and my hopes soared as no snow seemed to be moving and the chutes/funnels were close by and looked decent. We stopped on a small ridge in between a large gulley and a smaller one. The surface underfoot seemed firm, but not terrible. Matt slid into the chute and instantly went about 40 feet leaving a trail of water ice in his wake. I could not believe it. This was the Wasatch and I never considered water ice, bringing a whippet, or skiing anything but powder. I asked Matt if he was now back in snow (trying to also figure out how I was going to negotiate the 45 degree water ice) and was given the answer of no, followed by the sound of him slamming his edges into ice. I will say I dislike that sound and it made me feel ill. Could he go down? That choice seemed crazy as if he blew an edge he would slide for quite a ways. Probably ending in injury, but not death.

Luckily Matt was able to reverse a bit and get close to the rocks. He smashed the ski pole handles through the layer of ice (luckily it was not solid to the ground, but a few inches thick) and then get a ski off and slam the tail of the ski through the ice as an anchor. He then kicked a platform, removed the other ski, and slammed the tail through the ice. I breathed a sigh of relief as I had been envisioning Matt going for the slide for life while trying to take his skis off. Matt put his ski poles on his pack and climbed the now 50 feet back up to the ridge. He used the tails of his skis to penetrate the ice so he could kick steps.

I removed my skis, put my poles underneath my shoulder strap, and started climbing back up using my skis as ice/snow axes to protect me. After about 200 vertical feet Matt caught up to me and we were out of the steepest area. We put the skis on our packs and boot packed back to the summit of Cardiff and skied the bowl out.

I wish I had taken pictures, but I was too freaked out to try and take off my pack to get at the camera. What would we have done if we had twin tips, or even the curved tails of many of today’s modern shapes? We would have been stuck, or forced into a bad decision of trying to go down. A tail that is not flat would not penetrate the ice. With the pair of flat tailed skis we both carried a good adventure was shared with no injuries. By the way, I did miss my first OR appointment, but they understood once I shared the story.

Thanks for reading and hope to see you in the snow.

Mike Alkaitis
CMS Senior Guide
malkaitis@totalclimbing.com

www.totalclimbing.com

RMNP Conditions Report - Jan. 20, 2011

Making turns in the RMNP backcountry

Whoa…I haven’t updated this report in over a month! This just goes to show you how busy I’ve been guiding and traveling in the last 4 weeks. Today is the first day I’ve had off in that time, so my apologies for the delay.

 Ice high on the World Cup Wall, Jan. 9

Right around the time of my last update, before Christmas, the Park received a major winter storm with feet of snow. Come the New Year, we hadn’t had any snow but did have lots and lots of strong winds. Around the 7th, we got a nice shot of snow (about 8”) to freshen things up a bit but the winds picked up again soon after. It got frigidly cold (and windy) around the 11th with the mountains getting a bit more snow off and on throughout the week. Since 15th, the mountains have been getting a little of snow each day with increasing amounts. On the 18th and 19th, the Park was hit once again with a major snow storm which greatly improved riding conditions but also caused the avalanche danger to skyrocket. That’s a quick recap of the month so far.

 Ice climbers at the Loch Vale area, Jan. 8

The skiing right now is quite good on most aspects and elevations, with the higher lee-facing aspects capped with wind-slab of varying densities thanks to 90-mph gusts. In the more protected trees, the snow is dreamy, creamy and deep with reports coming in of knee-to-thigh deep turns. This is notable for us (unless you’re a tele-skier in which case all conditions are knee deep). Also notable is the “High” avalanche danger in our mountains. The third avalanche-related fatality for the season became official yesterday. These are scary and real events that remind the rest of us who love the winter mountains how dangerous they can be. It’s hard. I feel my heartbeat elevate as I start searching the news to see if the accident involved anyone I know. I breathe a sigh of relief when I don’t know the victims but then I feel guilty for my relief. And then I just feel sad, putting myself in the shoes of the families and imagining the tragedy of the loss of human life. Avalanches do happen and, right now, the danger is high. Let’s be careful out there!

 More turns above Dream Lake in RMNP

With the high winds and super-cold, ice climbing conditions have been rather unpleasant. With all the new snow, climbing ice continues to be a hearty endeavor. Many of the areas we frequent are in or near avalanche paths: Black Lake area, All Mixed Up, the Crypt, Loch Vale area, etc. With all the new snow, it may not be wise to attempt these routes/areas until the danger has subsided (which may be a long time). Hidden Falls, free from avalanches, is a good option…except for it’s subsequent popularity. The Overflow (aka Jewel Lake) ice area could be another good option.

 Hidden Falls on Jan. 17

I was guiding ice in Vail yesterday: the Fang is touching but I wouldn’t call it “in;” the Designator is in but a little thinner than usual; the Spiral Staircase area is also a little thinner than usual for this time of year but all routes are in and offer fun climbing. And even here in the Park, little smears and flows continue to melt and pop up again all over.

 The Fang and Ampitheater at Vail

 Spiral Staircase area at Vail

 An unnamed (unclimbed?) ice smear in RMNP

The next 24 hours or so looks to remain relatively clear but more snow is on the way for the weekend. By Monday morning, we could have yet another 12-18” of snow to contend with. Pull out your fat skis! The faceted snow that formed during that cold, clear period around the 11th isn’t buried so deep that it’s not a concern. With weak layers like this, and more snow in the forecast, it doesn’t look like the avalanche danger will be going down in the near future. So keep your eyes up and your ambition in check this weekend!

Andrew Councell is a CMS Guide and year-round Estes Park resident

Avalanche Education: Compression Test

Sidecountry and Slackcountry Skiing Thoughts:

It is a growing trend in skiing from my perspective to see people out sidecountry and slackcountry skiing. I will simply use side country from here on out as I cant quite figure out the difference between the two. When I look up the definition on the internet you access both from a resort, but in slack country you don’t hike for your turns, or is it don’t use skins? Some day I will figure it out. For now I am sticking with Sidecountry. The thoughts I would like to explore are what should we carry, what is our responsibility to our partners and others, and what are the expectations of other skiers and ski patrol. I am also going to look at the simple fact of touring bindings and skins vs. regular alpine gear and no skins.

I have been skiing a fair amount in the East Vail Chutes over the past few years as my son Oz is in the DEVO (Development Race Program) at Vail and I seem to find myself there more than the backcountry these days. I have noticed an increase in numbers heading out to the chutes as well as a larger number of solo skiers or groups with no avy gear. A common phrase I hear when inquiring if there are skiing without a partner or gear is, “We’ll be safe and ski something not too dangerous”. This makes me think. I am all for people having their own adventure and going off on their own to make some turns. It is the individuals decision and they can be responsible for themselves. It is great if they have a backcountry kit (skins, beacon, shovel, probe, and perhaps even a floatation pack) on them, but this would be to help others and not necessarily themselves.

The group of skiers with no avalanche gear is easier to discuss and think about. What are they thinking? Is it they see so many others going out it must be safe? Is it they have been back there so often and no slides happened it must be safe? Do they even have any avalanche training? I have heard people say they have skied it before, they will be safe, it is only the Mushroom Bowl, or simply they thought it was still the area and they wanted to ski powder. I made a resolution to myself a few years ago to always at least talk to people who were in my opinion doing something dangerous. People can make their own decisions about safety and self preservation, but I would like them to at least have an understanding there is a danger and they may die. Can the ski areas, in this case Vail, do a better job of education as to the hazards and where people are going? I am not sure. There is a sign, but it is a ways up the trail and there is no beacon tester or official gate to go through. Another version is the lone person or friend who wants to come along, but has no avalanche gear. To this I simply say no. I do not ever want the responsibility of telling anyone I agreed to let a person come along who did not have avalanche gear. 

It is my opinion that there should at least be a sign that states what gear is recommended if you are going to the sidecountry and perhaps even that the terrain may take you to East Vail. Perhaps this would discourage a few from getting into something they will regret.

Both groups (the soloists and the avalanche equipment less) should at least not simply follow those in front of them. I assume they believe the group in front of them knows where they are going and it is safe. It is not, and you never know how big a cliff others are willing to go over, or a big cornice they are willing to ski under.

So there scenarios are pretty clear cut in my mind. It is all about choices. Something I have been struggling with is the decision to go into the sidecountry with standard alpine gear and no touring bindings or skins. It appears pretty easy, you hike up in your boots, and then click in and ski  down. What happens if you have skied down and the second person, and only other in your group, triggers an avalanche. How will you get up to them? Bootpack? It would take an eternity, and in reality we have about 20 minutes. There could be a smaller problem like your buddy looses a ski. How are you going to help them? With the advent of new touring bindings (Fritschi, Marker, and the new MFD) it is simpler than ever to have a good downhill binding that can also tour. If you have touring bindings, you can help your buddy find a ski, or save his or her life in an avalanche.

What do you think?

Any thoughts on the best bindings?

Mike Alkaitis
Colorado Mountain School Senior Guide
malkaitis@totalclimbing.com
www.totalclimbing.com