Skiing in Japan

Recently CMS Guide, Norie Kizaki, returned from Japan where she was ski guiding for a local Japanese guide service.  As you can see from the photos below, being able to ski in powder is a necessity.

Wide open powder runs!  or...

Tree skiing anyone?

Big Terrain

Norie always smiling

Off-piste or backcountry… the options are endless!

Here at CMS we are excited to be offering our own Japan Ski Expedition next season. By working with us you’ll get a guide that speaks both English and Japanese fluently, is professionally trained, and has experience guiding the terrain in Japan. Our office staff is available to help answer any questions you may have along the way.

Keep an eye out for more details to be posted on our Japan Ski Expedition webpage.

Thanks,

Colorado Mountain School
800-836-4008 x3

RMNP Conditions Report - March 23, 2011

 

Skinning up towards Notchtop

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."   -- Charles Dickens

March has come in like a lamb this year with little snow and unseasonably warm temperatures.  Well, I take that back; it has snowed but certainly not in the copious amounts we're sometimes accustomed to this time of year.  We've had a few inches here and there but strong winds and warm temps have quickly redistributed and melted/settled it.  March often marks the beginning of Spring and this year that feels more the case than usual.  With more than a few 65+ degree temperatures along the Front Range (and mid-50s here in Estes), it's easy to forget that it's still technically winter.

Winter conditions in the Park recently, Thatchtop behind

Warm rock-climbing in Eldorado and Boulder Canyons has lured many of us away from our skis and crampons.  But RMNP remains a place for all the seasons, allowing us to climb rock one day, climb ice the next, and then ski boot-top powder the next day.  It's almost novel...except it's often the case this time of year.  You just have to be flexible and roll with whatever the weather dishes out. 

NE Face of Notchtop, looking large

Since the last update, RMNP has rec'd snow from three separate storms.  They have been associated with strong winds and have built wide-spread and fairly reactive wind-slabs on all exposed slopes in the Park.  The third storm appears to be wrapping up in the Park today with intermittent-but-periodically-intense snowfall.  The pattern seems to be warm, then snow/wind, then more wind, and then warm again.  This pattern means good skiing if you can get to it before the wind and sun do.  But woe unto you who miss the coveted window; you're more likely to find bullet-hard wind-slab on north faces and either crusty/icy or dangerously wet/slushy snow on solar aspects.  Neither are overwhelmingly fun to ski.

Skiing good snow in the Park yesterday

Take, for instance, a recent trip up to the Dragon Tail Couloir.  We skinned around from the top but 50mph winds coupled with 70mph gusts made travel less than ideal with white-out conditions above treeline.  Upon arriving at the top of the climbers' left branch, I promptly kicked off a 14" deep x 30' wide soft wind-slab.  Within minutes, the winds were filling it all back in.  We bailed on the right branch as well after noting similar instability coupled with greater volume.  We opted to descend another line on Flattop's S. Face but sent heavy sluffs avalanching to the banks of Emerald Lake. 

Booting up steep terrain near the Ptarmigan Fingers/Notchtop area

Then another day a group of us headed into the Ptarmigan Finger area via Odessa Gorge.  The winds were sustained 70mph along the Continental Divide so we opted to stay in the valleys and boot-pack up the various objectives rather than face the brutal wind.  We ended up skiing great terrain, steep slopes up to 55-degrees, with no signs of current instability.  But, again, the snow was either refrozen coral reef on east aspects or pencil-hard wind-slab on north aspects; still fun but not ideal. 

The view back down, Ptarmigans in the background

A couple days ago I was ski guiding at Hidden Valley and found some of the best coverage I've seen, with 4' of snow on the ground less than 300' from the parking lot.  Despite a blustery forecast, we found calm conditions (at times) above treeline near Tombstone Ridge.  We were able to take comfortable breaks and bask in the warmth of the sun, then skiing soft sastrugi in one turn and slushy corn in the next. 

Cracking wind-slab all around treeline in the Park yesterday (3/22)

Recently, we've skied many north and northeast aspects around treeline, hoping to find good snow and shelter from the winds at the same time...with relative success.  Yesterday we managed to find some fairly reactive wind-slab near the Loch and Lake Haiyaha.  Stomping on one steep roll-over, I triggered an avalanche that was 12" deep x 150' wide and it ran about 100' down slope. 

Triggered wind-slab at treeline near Lake Haiyaha (3/22)

Today, skiing in the Dream Lake chutes, we found the snow to be quite deep.  As in, face shots in many places.  Tracks from the days before were totally filled in by a few more inches and lots of wind overnight.  Oddly, at least from what we saw, stability seemed to improve overall despite additional wind-deposited snow.  My attempts to kick off similar wind-slab on test slopes came up empty.  But that doesn't mean all is healed.  These recent wind-slabs will continue to be our main avalanche concern in the RMNP backcountry.

CMS Guide Norie Kizaki finding sheltered goods near Lake Haiyaha

On solar aspects, like the south-facing slopes on Flattop, the avalanche concern is a little different.  New snow + warm temps = heavy sluffing.  The Dragontail Couloirs and S. Face routes on Flattop emptied themselves over the weekend, with some large point-release avalanches reaching or nearly reaching Emerald Lake.  Surprisingly little triggers can result in large, wet-loose slides entraining more snow as it falls, gaining mass and speed.  To be in the path of one of these would be unfortunate.

Ptarmigan Fingers as of last week; the middle reportedly avalanched big on Sunday (3/20)

Hidden Falls continues to fare well despite these warm temps.  CMS Guide Bob Chase reports dry conditions in the middle with wetter ice on the peripheries.  The Black Lake area (Black Lake Slabs, W. Gully, Yellow Tears) are reportedly in great shape as well, though Stoneman was looking a little thin.  The Big Mac Couloir on McHenry's is sporting a fat 200' section of blue water ice.  Loch Vale ice, Freezer Burn/Cold Storage, the Crypt...all looking pretty much the same since the last report.  The Squid is pretty much gone but we've spotted rarely-formed, and much smaller, pillars also on that same mountainside but much further east.

 Hot Doggie? Gone.  Grace Falls in the foreground

Notchtop's N. Face looks quite impressive with only the "crux" pitch of ice in good shape about two-thirds up the face.  Overall, snow-climbing really isn't that bad these days with the warm temps crisping up solar aspects.  Most things north-facing are still rather wallowy. 

Jay enjoying March ice climbing at Vail

Perhaps the Lion in March is beginning to stir with more wintry weather on the way for the weekend.  Hopefully we'll get a good dousing to make up for the wonderful drought we've experienced these first two weeks of March.  If you're out and about this week(end), feel free to shoot me an update on conditions at acouncell@totalclimbing.com.  It's always appreciated!  Likewise, feel free to contact me if you have any questions.  Let's stay safe out there!

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

RMNP Conditions Report - March 3rd, 2011 (updated March 6th)

 Mike Alkaitis and Bruce Miller enjoying early-March snow yesterday (3/2)

There is no mastery. No one is a self-proclaimed master. You don't have to master yourself. You don't have to corral yourself. You simply have to let go of all the trappings you have added to yourself...all the imitations you have copied. There is no imitation you want to be.  It is Truth you want to be.

You don't have to master anyone else either. You don't have to be master of another. You don't even have to be master of your child. Better to be a wayshower, a guide, and let those who choose, follow. Lead without saying one word. Point to the stars, and everyone will look up. -- Anonymous

Bear Lake TH on the morning of Friday (2/24) with over 12" on the ground and snow falling all day

Winds blowing February away along the Continental Divide on Monday (2/28)

Much of the last month, for me, has been spent outside of RMNP.  In the last 10 days, I feel like I've just been playing catch-up on the conditions here in the Park.  First off, I'll offer a quick recap of events and then we'll take a look at the current conditions.

Overall, RMNP is snowier than usual...what a difference from last year.  Be assured, you can still find buried rocks with your skis but the snowfall and subsequent coverage are better than usual.  This latest storm (2/24-2/26) came in relatively warm and gave the Park nearly 18" of snow.  Friday, the 25th, was the deepest skiing I've had in the Park in a long time, requiring an avalung just to ski and breath at the same time. 

Enjoying a warm, Spring-like day in the mountains skiing yesterday (3/2)

There have been both natural and skier-triggered avalanches in the Park since the 24th (with the latter being relatively small, thankfully).  Naturals ran in the Dragontail Couloirs, below Hallet's N. Face, and below the Continental Divide on the Tyndall Glacier.  I'm sure there are plenty of others I didn't see or hear about.  Stability tests have been giving a wide variety of results (even on the same slopes) depending on the aspect and elevation.  However, in general, stability seems to be building.  We seem to be in something of a Spring cycle, with warm temps before and after each storm.  Oddly, the sun is shining high in the sky as snow flakes are falling here in Estes. 

Small avalanche released by a solo skier in the Terrain Park on Friday night...death wish?

Currently, the primary concern for avalanche danger in the Park remain (surprise) windslabs formed around and above treeline.  As is the norm for our neck of the woods, the winds raged after this latest snowfall and hard windslabs have appeared even in usually sheltered areas.  Some of these windslabs offer challenging "breakable crust" skiing, others are supportable.  On steep, solar aspects you'll also want to be thinking about wet, loose-snow activity from the warm temps and sun.  I haven't seen anything too big coming from the toes of cliffs and trees but if you're low in big terrain, a wet sluff from above could entrain a lot of snow by the time it reaches you.  Elsewhere (ie, around sheltered treeline areas and lower, Northish aspects), the snow has settled nicely and still offers a creamy, but dense, traveling surface.  If you're looking for fresh tracks...you'll be looking hard. 

Ricardo choking on snow Friday evening in the Terrain Park

Ice continues to form in north-facing areas but anything facing the sun is rotting out.  With 40+ degree temps and direct sun exposure, routes like Jaws, the Squid, and the Crypt are either gone or more akin to vertical slush than ice.  The Crypt is only 20-30' tall, the majority of the climb buried under snow.  CMS Guides, Mike Soucy and Steve Johnson, went up to the Freezer Burn/Cold Storage area over last weekend and reported good climbing.  In the Loch Vale ice area, Crystal Meth is partially formed up with a scary-looking detached pillar on it's right side, last I saw it.  Mixed Emotions doesn't appear to be in and Mo' Flo' Than Go is mostly covered with snow.  Jewel Lake ice and Black Lake ice are reportedly all still looking good with the various smears en route in as well.  Hidden Falls is looking like proper swiss cheese with the curtain on top only 3-4' wide.  However, this area seems to be growing with a lot of newer ice forming up in the cleft to the left.  I hear the Big Thompson ice is in but I haven't been to check it out myself.  And, last but certainly not least, Vail ice continues to swell.

Neal Kleiman on "Crystal Meth" at the Loch Vale ice area

I don't have any news from the Longs Peak or Chasm Cirque areas.  I would imagine that we haven't quite had enough warm-cold swings for notable ice in Martha's (on Mt. Lady Washington) yet.  The best conditions I've seen it in, for example, have been in May and June.  But I'm no "conditions master" and it could be good; I get surprised all the time around here.  I'm pretty sure everything at high elevations on N-aspects will still be wallowing rather than climbing. 

The Crypt, "in" but mostly buried

Looking up at Thatchtop's N. Face...beautiful but not much ice

We're entering in to what many consider the ultimate season for Colorado: great skiing conditions in the mountains, awesome rock-climbing temps along the Front Range.  The weather is generally more amiable as the days lengthen, the temps warm, and the wind speeds decrease.  But in this season, as in any other, the mountains remain a dangerous arena in which to recreate and we can never fully let down our guard.  I'm looking forward to a safe and fun-filled March!

Neal slaying some Colorado ice!

-- Update March 6th -- 

The Park hasn't received a ton of new snow but the winds have been working steadily near and above treeline, building drifts and wind-slabs of varying densities.  As I found out yesterday while poking around, some of these fresh wind-slabs and cornices are fairly sensitive.  I triggered multiple "test" (or indicator) slopes by stomping off chunks of cornice onto the slope below.  Most slabs didn't release very deep (4-14") but did propagate; in my mind, these smaller slopes indicate what could happen in bigger terrain and above treeline on more exposed slopes.

 R2-D1 triggered via cornice drop on a N-aspect east of the Loch

Failed within Wed/Thurs snow, now capped by a dense wind-slab

As for ice, as I suggested a few days ago, the Squid is pretty much gone though the Crypt and the Freezer Burn/Cold Storage area still looked great from my vantage on the Loch (with the Crypt still being mostly buried).  The Loch Vale ice area doesn't seem to have changed at all since I last saw it, with some good ice around.

 2nd slide I triggered with cornice drop, R1-D1.5, below Otis' E. Buttress

Sensitive cornices reactive to moderate stomping

Hidden Falls is either building or falling down, I can't quite figure it out.  It's been very warm and lots of water is now running down the main flow, with fresh, chandeliered ice forming over all the holes and pockets made by hundreds of climbers.  So that's good.  But all the free water is eating away at the top of the route, making the curtain detached from the earth in some spots.  So that's not as good.  Anyway, that's the latest.

Pit graph from yesterday with test results

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As always, if you have questions or observations you'd like to share, feel free to e-mail me at acouncell@totalclimbing.com.  Thanks for reading!

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