Route: North Face to Trough Couloir

Team: Ted, Christy, Dirk Bockelmann, Sean Shean

Longs was the best. If I had to pick one day that was my favorite 14er ski, it would be Longs Peak. Winter snow on the steep North Face was part of it; success after an uncertain and very long day added something, but the group was the most significant factor. Christy, Dirk, and Sean are my primary adventure friends. Be it 14ers or lift-accessed skiing, summer/winter outings, Colorado or abroad– these three have become my core group, and rarely are we all together.

With a 4 am start, we hiked up past Mills Lake and then Black Lake to the base of the Trough Couloir. Ascending the Trough was tough. Recent snow had yet to consolidate, so booting was tiresome deep post-holing. Our speed slowed considerably and brought new questions. We had hoped to ascend the Trough to the Keyhole, then climb the steep North Face. With conditions as they were in the Trough, the North Face might be even more difficult, if not completely unclimbable. Though not our first choice, we thought it might be more expeditious to finish the climb on the standard summer Keyhole route, that is, from the Trough around the back through the Narrows to the Homestretch. Unfortunately, this wouldn’t allow us to scout the ski line or assess conditions on the steep North Face.

That became our plan. After lunch, pictures, and joking around on the summit. we started our ski from a pole touch of the highest boulder. Once at the edge of the North Face, the mood got more serious. Not only did more than a foot of new snow cover the nearly 50-degree face, but the crux “pinch” area, where, in summer, you need 5th-class climbing moves to overcome, looked really narrow. Adding to the pucker factor is the fact that there’s a slight tilt of the ski line to the right, just enough to make it feel as if a bad wreck could send you cartwheeling over the edge and down the east-facing Diamond, a 2000-foot vertical wall.

Let’s not think about that. But how can you not? It’s 50 degrees, with big sharp rocks lurking beneath the deep new snow, just itching to send you head over heels, and Christy’s on telemark skis—it’s time to focus.

I made a few turns down to a relatively safe spot and everyone followed. The snow seemed friendly to our skis, and the mood lightened. Spying a potential ribbon of snow through the steep pinch, I guided Christy through, keeping our skis on the snow. Sean and Dirk felt comfortable with a more direct line. I took pictures of them airing out the crux.

At this point, we were clear about the most concerning objective hazards. Watching each other take turns ripping up the powder on what is typically a dangerous and unforgiving mountain made for quite the moment. Some hoots and hollers were heard from observing day trippers atop neighboring Mount Lady Washington, adding to it all.

Back at the boulder field, we couldn’t believe how this all turned out. It was some of the best snow I’ve ever managed to get on a 14er, and on such a cool, classic route and great weather day. After taking it all in, we booted up through the Keyhole to meet back up with the Trough Couloir. It wasn’t long before we were skiing over Black Lake, past Mills Lake, and catching the “Skiers shortcut,” which took us to within 200 feet of the car.

Back in Boulder that night, we found ourselves at the STS9 show, which kept the day going well into the night until we had made it a full twenty-four-hour adventure.

He and I would hit Wetterhorn next.