A Superior Day Out

For the third time in two weeks I woke up at 5:00am, ate breakfast, drove up LCC, and started up the South Ridge of Mt Superior for a training lap. Unlike the last couple times, on this morning I found excellent neve snow conditions and had a partner with a very flexible work schedule. So, instead of bailing down one of the two classic couloir lines off the ridge, Stu and I got to take it to the summit.

The entire way up was pretty uneventful. We had amazing alpenglow as the sun came up, continued to find perfect conditions from bottom to top, and chilled on the summit for a nice long rest with some other friends while we waited for the South Face to soften.

It wasn’t until we started skiing down that thing came a bit unraveled. Stu and I chose the wrong line off the summit (one I had previously skied, but in January) and found ourselves in a 50-degree chute with nothing but bare rocks at the bottom. So, the skis came off and the down-climbing began. Oh well, I’m not really a skier anyway.

After we got down I went home, cleaned up, did some work, and then drove to the Swell, where I got to watch the same sun set over one of my favorite places in Utah.

Stu starting up perfect Neve.
Into the sunrise.
Alpenglow.
Onto the first bit of ridge.
After Suicide Chute.
The second knife-edge.
Steep snow, beautiful rocks, and awesome old trees.
Stu was all smiles.
Sending the crux moves.
Above the cornice tunneling.
Headed for the top.
Cumbre!
This is about where we figured out we had messed up.
Stu down climbing through the rocks.
Sunset in the Swell later that same day.
On April 12, 2021   /   Adventure, Blog, Snow  

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