Route: West Face Team: Christy, Ted In a week we were headed to Europe to ski the Haute Route, the classic ski trip connecting the towns of Chamonix and Zermatt. So in an effort to prep for the tour, we decided to head to Lake City for a weekend trip. We made our way there Friday afternoon, staying in a Lake City cabin, and although the floors were slanted, ceilings...
Route: North Face Couloir Team: Ted, Jared Ettlinger I heard Montezuma was skiing OK, so I called Jared and we were off. Having skied the basin proper a whole lot, I thought I might try to rally Jared for a summit ski. I still needed this one. Once up there, we agreed, it didn't look great, but it didn't look terrible either, it was October. And the weather was perfect....
Route: East Face Team: Ted, Jeremy Barbin Snowmass Mountain has always been a favorite. Part of its allure lies in its remoteness, the fact that you can only really see it from other exciting locales. Backpacks, peak climbs and backcountry ski tours bring the mountain into sight, when I see it I must be doing something fun, like a reward for getting out. The average person has no clue it's...
Route: Northeast Face Team: Ted, Christy, Jill Midthun From the summit of Quandary Peak yesterday, Grays and Torreys looked pretty good. I sought some acclimatization before my South America trip, and Christy and friend Jill Midthun were looking to get out and do something. I pitched the idea and they decided it sounded good. We drove to the Peru Creek Road snow closure, skinned in, and set up camp in...
Route: South Face to Chihuahua Gulch Team: Ted, Christy After skiing the northeast side of Grays Peak, Christy and I made our way back up to the Grays/Torreys saddle, and then to the summit of Torreys. It was pretty nice up there, Christy was especially pleased to be there as this was our first double-summit ski day. After some creative route finding through patchier snow up high, we were able...
Route: Cristo Couloir Team: Ted, Jared Ettlinger Late April— snow is everywhere but the lifts are closed. It doesn't always make sense to me, for example, why Aspen Highlands' maximum base depth is often reached on or near the mountains closing day. There's still so much skiing to be had when everyone starts thinking summer. Jared agreed, so we went to Quandary Peak. In ten days or so I was...
Route: East Couloir Team: Ted, Chris Carmichael After a full down day in camp due to weather, the next morning was just perfect. Since our day on Sunlight and Windom, about six inches of snow had fallen. Chris and I headed up towards South Eolus, Dave would sit this one out. It was easy skinning to the base of the East Couloir, the type of snow skins just love. We...
Route: Widowmaker (NW) Couloir Team: ted, Chris Carmichael, Dave Rhodes If you just came off Sunlight, then Windom naturally follows. Less than 1000 vertical feet and about a half mile away, to get one and not try for the other after getting this far away from home is crazy. For skiers it's even more sensible, Sunlight's ski line faces south and Windom's northwest so it's a perfect one-two from high...
Route: South Face (Red Couloir) Team: Ted, Chris Carmichael, Dave Rhodes After a great day on Sneffels, it was time to ratchet up the preparation for next months climb/ski attempt on Denali. We decided to head in to Chicago Basin for five days. We drove to Durango on Cinco De Mayo and proceeded to start off the trip with a full on pub crawl. The next morning we crawled onto...
Route: South Face to Lavendar Col Team: Ted, Jann Stoeckl In June, Jann Stoeckl and I were headed to Denali with Aspen friends Sean Shean and Brad Smith. The four of us had the month of May to prep for what would be my biggest trip to date. This seemed to fit as preparation. We drove to Ouray and then up the Camp Bird Mine Road until snow stopped us,...
We met in Aspen in 2000 and have been happily stuck in the rockies ever since, getting out in the mountains every day we can, in every season and by all means possible. Read More
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