Route: Northwest Face

Team: Ted

Huron would be straightforward. I had been up this trail twice before and felt it to be safe for a solo ski. The snow closure and subsequent car camp was at the Winfield ghost town. Early the next morning I skinned from the car on very frozen snow, and with a few solo days behind me this spring I was used to the solitude.

The weather was good and the time passed quickly. The main Northwest Face looked a bit too patchy to ski so I opted to follow the summer route to its left. With its moderate angle I could easily reach the summit ridge and then piece the finish together from there. I could safely climb up and ski down along the ridge, on the snowy side, and lower down I could ski the more open and mellow terrain I ascended.

Weather was slowly building all around me. With the sun obscured, the snow remained firm and allowed the solo nerves to stay relaxed. It was warm enough that the lower mountain would soften up because of ambient air temperature, so the skiing wouldn’t be totally lame.

The requisite solo portrait shots were taken up top and I began down the ridge. It wasn’t the most aesthetic line off the summit, I’d want the east side for that, but for solo purposes this would work just fine. The corn snow peeled off thicker and thicker as I made my way down to the road and back to the car.

I was a smooth day. Next week I would have a go at Massive.