This weekend Lucas, Ryan and I wanted to get out and do a quick ski. So we ventured back to Red mountain to find the correct route. We started early and made good time up to the fork in the creek. We still followed the further East than we should have, but found a way W over to the creek and then onto a SW ridge of Red, and just followed the ridgeline. Going got steep and when it became crust on the surface L and R decided to just boot it. I put ski crampons on and tried to hold out, but that was slow going and I finally decided to join them in the boot escapade 750 feet from the summit. We hiked up various forms of hard crust on snow, freshy on softer crust, and freshy on pretty much ice. Short isolated parts got pretty spicy, but it made it quite fun (ice axe strongly recommended).
Weather was not perfect, but ok. Sucker patches gave us optimism, but no continuous sun. Relatively clear visibility until close to the summit was nothing to complain about. The snow on the ascent was as expected. a week layer 8 inches down, with variable crust on the top. Parts were really scoured and hard from the wind . Based on our ascent we were not expecting much on the way down - skiing on crust is not fun. Anyway, it was a great first half of the day - the climb was entertaining.
We did the customary summit dance and prepped for the ski down. We ventured a little farther W on the face and found some areas that were 3-8 inches deep of powder on the crust. Relatively steep pitch and great snow made the top 1700' or so awesome skiing. We hooted and hollered all the way down like little school girls. Snow was pretty stable with some sluff coming down with us, but not apparent slab activity. Back in commonwealth basin we struggled with the down and up and down and up until the last pitch out. I wish I would have booted or put the skins back on for that section.
All in all, it was an awesome day, beyond all expectations! Climb was great, weather was not bad, snow pretty stable, and the skiing great .... all large steps up from expectations. Just what the Dr. ordered!!!
Alison close to the turn around point last weekend. saddle between Red/Kendall in back.
Red from SE (taken previous weekend). Current route up was just W on SW ridgeline seen on the horizon.
Ryan and Lucas on the ridge line.
One spicy spot (no traction/steep/crumbly rock) about 50 feet from summit.
Lucas getting some turns in
Ryan looks like he's eating up the skiing.
One of the lines - down the chute into some nice soft sugar.
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