Colter Pass update

There's dry land to be found in town!
However, there's still lots of snow up on Colter Pass, and it doesn't appear they'll have it plowed by Monday- as anticipated. 

volcano skiing: Electric Peak

Skiing Electric Peak a couple days ago, with Kt Miller.  

wall ride

Abundant wildlife, and splendid potential for adventure skiing.

Highly recommend this classic Yellowstone Park peak.

dusk patrol

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this season has been far and away the best for spring corn skiing. (in the last 7 years)

twilight creek ford

The Barronette Effect

Barronette:  so complex and awesome, (and typically no-mans land!), this year routes have repeatedly been inviting!  Relatively speaking.  :)

Thank you Barronette!  I keep saying to myself, 'ah well, that was fun while it lasted.  Maybe next year..'  But low and behold, a small refresher of a snowstorm, and just the right mixture of temperature and sunshine, and wa la.  Worth having another look. 

The trick is to find the balance between: new routes and classic routes, challenging routes and safe routes…

update on conditions

Well, Town Hill has more or less melted out.  Aside from the Main Gully, which was skiing phenomenal today.

Meanwhile, Raz has long since shut down the Saloon, and 87% of the locals seem to have flown the coup.  Mud season they say.  Ghost town Cooke City.  Meanwhile, the surrounding mountains are skiing about as good as they get.  (cold, stable powder and more daylight than you need to wear yourself out.)

So earlier this week, after a month of 'fine' warm weather, a few of us figured to try and put together a bigger project.  And where else to look, but the Beartooths.!  A short break from guiding commitments for the editor, and an A-grade crew gathered in town, so we all packed rucks for six days, and set off across Goose Lake and into the West Rosebud.   We had a shuttle lined up over in the Lake Fork (the crux) courtesy of the ever awesome Varney's.  Aim high they say.

The weather ended up turning on us, and we Plan B'd, with an exodus via blizzard.

Followed by some volcanic ski touring in Yellowstone Park.  :)

we sure do like couloirs around here!

there's some good ones out north of town too.  :)

There were many highlights on our tour before we decided to bail (which was great in and of itself), such as:  Catch-a-Fire, the Becky, a hidden ice cave adjacent camp, and exploring the long coveted Patriarch.!  

photo by Josh Varney

Aside from the landscapes we traveled though (which seem to be exponentially inspiring!), it sure was treat to get out in the hills for some some camping and alpine climbing, with such an awesome group of friends.  Big thank you to Josh, Noah, Pat and Kt for being such genuinely good people/ mountain partners.

Varney photo

Out in the hills, all this week.  (so don't be checking for updates here!)