Edward (Ted) in the couloir that bears his name.
Date: March 8, 2008
Team: Christy, Ted
Route: Edwardian Couloir (S)
Christy and I drove to the Peru Creek Road, rigged the snowmobile, and headed up along the snow covered jeep road that led high into the basin between Grays Peak and Mount Edwards. At a certain point by the summer road closure, near 11,300 feet, where we unloaded our gear and start skiing up the valley. From that point Edwards isn’t too far away.
As we got nearer, the south facing Edwardian Couloir came into sight through the cloudy, windy weather. We skinned as high as we could, and then switched to crampons when it got steeper. It wasn’t long before we were on the summit– Edwards is a quick one.
The in-and-out weather continued, and the winds weren’t letting up, so we made a quick transition and headed back down. Apart from some thin sections right off the summit, the skiing was really good. It was an easy schuss back to the snowmobile, and then out to the truck.
We actually made the huge drive down to Culebra from here, which we skied (if you call it that) the next day.
Some more photos:
Christy on approach. The windy couloir is straight ahead.
Scanning the upper route, which was too steep for skins, barely.
Ted on the summit.
The rocky summit ridge. I believe it’s Stevens Gulch, and the normal route for Gray’s and Torreys out to the right.
Christy in the couloir.
The flank of Gray’s Peak in the distance.
