cliffclof - May 9, 2020 9:10 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2020
Ptarmigan Spring Social Distance Climb
There were snow covered sections of the Powerline Pass trail until the halfway mark, then full snow to the base. Snow was rock hard at 4 am. Started ascending up the couloir at 5:30 am. Sun hit the upper ridge early. Sunrise on the mid-couloir at 6:45. Agree, using extreme caution on the upper part of the route moving to the gap is necessary. A slip or slide in that section could be deadly. Snow conditions decent in the morning and loosened in the afternoon down-climb.
Snow in the chutes up to the peak made the crux easy, however snow melting in the chutes could make that more fun in the next week. A loud crash heard from the top had me investigating a giant boulder fall down the left side from the couloir.
I got off the mountain by 2PM having summited and signed the registry. “God is so artistic,” my favorite quote read. On the same route down I used caution making my way to the couloir. Glissaded from there. It’s too fast for me, so I used heavy brake through with two axes.
Road back was as much fun as chasing an ice cream truck that won’t stop. I post-holed only 10% of the time; nothing to complain about. A great climb and a perfect day! Got lucky with not a breath of air at the summit and warm sunshine.
cliffclof - May 9, 2020 9:10 pm Date Climbed: May 6, 2020
Ptarmigan Spring Social Distance ClimbThere were snow covered sections of the Powerline Pass trail until the halfway mark, then full snow to the base. Snow was rock hard at 4 am. Started ascending up the couloir at 5:30 am. Sun hit the upper ridge early. Sunrise on the mid-couloir at 6:45. Agree, using extreme caution on the upper part of the route moving to the gap is necessary. A slip or slide in that section could be deadly. Snow conditions decent in the morning and loosened in the afternoon down-climb.
Snow in the chutes up to the peak made the crux easy, however snow melting in the chutes could make that more fun in the next week. A loud crash heard from the top had me investigating a giant boulder fall down the left side from the couloir.
I got off the mountain by 2PM having summited and signed the registry. “God is so artistic,” my favorite quote read. On the same route down I used caution making my way to the couloir. Glissaded from there. It’s too fast for me, so I used heavy brake through with two axes.
Road back was as much fun as chasing an ice cream truck that won’t stop. I post-holed only 10% of the time; nothing to complain about. A great climb and a perfect day! Got lucky with not a breath of air at the summit and warm sunshine.