Overnight at Emerald Lake

 As I drew near the crest of Primrose Cirque I sent Jim Knight, the guy that I was planning to meet at Emerald Lake, a text to see if he was on the trail.

He replied simply, "At hut, em lake."

I was now glad that I had elected to go up alone, I thought I was getting a head start because he had work so I kept looking back over my shoulder because expecting to see him gaining on me. Jim is close to twice my age and I have a hard time keeping up. The guy is a mountain machine.

I only had a couple hundred vertical to go before I reached the Hidden Lakes Basin but I was starting to drag. During that last little push I was encouraging myself out loud. Every time I go somewhere with a full pack it reminds me why I like dawn patrols, your pack weighs about a quarter as much.

I finally reached Jim and his dog at the "Hut" which is still completely buried. I cooked up some food and we sat and talked. Jim talked mostly while I asked questions. The guy has done it all. Quite a few of the climbing routes I have been doing lately are his, or his sons, creations. The ice axe I was using was even one of his designs. 

The sun hit us early and we took our time letting the sun warm the snow. We made the decision to just head down Primrose instead of going any higher. As soon as we dropped in we knew it was a good idea. The snow was already too soft and sloppy, still fun, but sloppy. 

It was a good little trip, I have been wanting to camp up there all year and now I did. Check. Now next season I know I want to do a multi-day trip up there, there is a lot to ride.

 Dusk, it wasn't dark long. The full moon lit it up like day.

I want a dog like this in the future... She warmed up to me pretty quick and she can run for days.

 

Home sweet home.

This place always makes me feel small.

White to green.

Turned Back on the Grunge Couloir

 I grew up at the foot of the north summit of Mt. Timpanogos. Every summer my mountain bike would take me to silent meadows that looked out on this peak that I thought only bold mountaineers could handle. I had no idea that this rugged pile of dirt was so accessible. In the spring you can grab a 4 wheeler and cut your ascent down to a few hours, in the winter you can hop on a snowmobile and shorten that even more.

Jeremy picked me up at 3:30 a.m. so we could get high before the snow got too warm. We thought with all the rain we had been getting the snow would be settled up high. We met up with Jim Knight, Rob Greener and Greg Paul. Between the five of us there were two four wheelers, I ended up as the hood ornament. Three guys on a quad with full gear? Poor four wheeler...

The ascent was great. I feel I am in good shape... until I go out with all these guys. I gradually drifted out the back of the pack. I like to blame it on my stopping to take pictures, but that really isn't the reason. As soon as the sun came out it got hot. It went from winter weather to T-shirt weather within a half an hour.

As we were gaining the entrance the the couloir the snow conditions were deteriorating. The snow up high hadn't settled into a corn cycle leaving unstable layers making for hazardous avalanche conditions. The rapid warming aggravated all of this and resulted in our turning around. The ride down was soft and fun. Corn snow had formed up on the lower slopes making for some fun turns.

 

 

Rob Greener

 

The grunge on the far right

 

The decision to call it a day.

 

 left: bomber peak Right: The group getting ready to descend

Avalanches are so gnarly. These trees were probably blasted over by a slide close to a mile long.

The Illusive Line...

When 4:10 a.m. rolled around and I was dragging my groggy butt out of bed I was really regretting turning down an invitation to hike from the tram at Snowbird to the American Fork Twins. I could have stayed in bed for another three hours and started 3,000 vertical feet higher than I would with the Southern Wasatch Crew.

I picked up Jeremy Jolley and we drove up Provo Canyon to meet a crew of some really awesome guys. It was me, Chase McMillan (hiking machine), Jeremy (a legit hobbit), Rick Black (The guy built a plane in his garage and hangs out of helicopters for a living), Skyler Holman (a Sundance Ski Patroler), and Jim Knight (A climbing legend who pioneered climbing in Utah). We started our way up. We hit the snow and it was solid, the axes and crampons came out.

As we made our way up the drainage the surroundings seemed to grow more unique and grand the higher we climbed. I will never cease to be amazed at the sheer grandeur of Timpanogos. It is such an impressive place with so much depth.

We reached a waterfall that we could have climbed around, but no one felt good about down climbing it later without climbing gear. As we stood and debated our options it grew warm adding another complication to our predicament. With all the experience that was in the group I sat back and waited for their decision. We turned back with the knowledge that another approach would be much more ideal for that particular line.

Shutdown

The moisture in each breath froze in my nostrils and crystallized in my beard as I hiked. The temperature slowly dropped as we ascended Primrose Cirque on the backside of Timpanogos. The snow was deep and light. Our goal was to get to Emerald Lake to spend the night then get up for an early sunrise on the summit. The perfect snow and the amazing lines we skirted as we climbed had us all full of anticipation for the morning.

I ran into technical difficulties with my splitboard which made me leery and kept me bootpacking up the steeper terrain while Parker and Tanner worked to switchback up the face. I stopped for a moment and looked down the valley bellow. Silence. There is nothing like being in high places surrounded by silence.

As I crested the little roller, I suddenly felt uneasy. We continued our ascent until Parker chimed in saying he felt something was up. The slope was looking wind loaded but seemed stable, but all of us had been feeling uneasy. Roughly 150 vertical feet from the top of the cirque we decided to pull the plug. Our cumulative gut feelings turned us around. We felt good about the decision, but it was tough to give it up.

We rode down in the dark through what, in daylight hours, was an amazing winter playground. In the dark, sections seemed like a trap. We were all smacked in the face a few times by low hanging branches. The night ended well, cold but safe.

Climbing Timpanogos: The Provo Hole

You roll out of bed at 5:00 a.m. stumbling through the routine of early morning preparation. After going through the checklist of what you have and what you need, you throw it haphazardly into the back of your car which is still filthy from your last adventure. You pick up your climbing partner, Jeremy Jolley, and make small talk as you drive through the morning twilight. The snow is gone down in the valley and it doesn't feel like you should be doing this type of thing anymore.

As you roll up to the trailhead, you look around and notice how far the snow line has receded. You force your feet into your boots and begin to walk. After a few minutes, a rhythm begins. The chatter of conversation thins and your breathing becomes just a little bit more laborious. Eventually there is snow. A layer of dirt covers the ice encrusted slope. The trail you were on becomes swallowed beneath it and eventually you are blazing a trail straight up the hill.

The crisp mountain, air mixed with the panoramic views, keep your mind alert. Having never been to this area you become so distracted by the mountains you almost forget how hard your heart is pounding in your chest. You pass another group in the middle of their ascent, there is always something to talk about when you encounter another person up here.

As you crest a small summit your view opens to the world beneath your feet. You are now somewhere above 11,000 feet. Walking the ridge on precarious ice makes you decide to pull on your crampons and pull out your ice axe. One slip could send you sliding on a journey toward the base of the mountain more than likely being interrupted by free falling off of cliffs or striking rocks on your merry way down.

As you reach your summit, you make preparations for your long descent. A nice layer of spring corn snow awaits and you greet it with enthusiasm.

This is my beginning to the day. My brain hadn't quite begun to function.

Willie Holdman cranking his way up early on in the climb. Check out the link, he is an amazing photographer. If you have been through the Salt Lake airport you have seen his stuff.

Partway up the Stairway to Heaven.

Another shot of Willie. The snow was so hard there was no real skin track to be made.

Pushing our way up.

As we gained the saddle we were greeted by this astounding view.

The climbing on the ridge got a little dicey. I busted out my crampons and ice axe for a bit.

Kind of crazy to think that this is what waited a few feet to my left on the ridge. In bad visibility it wouldn't be hard to accidentally walk out on a cornice and.... see ya later.

They were really cool formations.

Getting ready to go.

Loading up.

Jeremy Jolley slashing his way down.

Willie getting some of that springtime lovin'.

fun all the way down. We had a few route finding hiccups but we worked them out. This whole area was amazing. I want to go back during the winter next year. There is so much out there to be explored.