Pasting a Line on Coyote Nipple Peak

Dropping Coyote Nipple Peak
March 31st, 2006

Southern Wind Rivers, Popo Agie Wilderness Area, Shoshone National Forest

Coyote Nipple Peak

As you might have guessed, this peak didn't have a name, that I know of. So, since I saw a coyote on ridge below it, and it looks like... well you know, I'll dub it Coyote Nipple Peak (CNP for short).

Looking up Atlantic Canyon from Christina Lake

I originally didn't have plans on climbing or dropping CNP. I wanted to head up the bottom of Atlantic Canyon to see what it was like in the winter. Also to scout some access for an Atlantic Peak climb or some potential couliors.

I had some issues on my way in. I had to break trail starting from the CD trail (5 miles plus). There was 6-12 inches of fresh powder. Had trouble finding a way over the last hill into Christina Lake.

A closer look into Atlantic Canyon

View of Atlantic and West Atlantic Peaks and a coulior I was hoping to ride.

As I got closer though, I realized it wasn't much of a coulior. Bummer. Since it was an up and down, long ass skin in there, I decided to bail and climb the mountain on my right (CNP).

Brought the skis for this one, since I figured I would be skinning alot.

Someone else tried on a ski boot today too. Go Tally!!

Yup, you guessed it. Was solo today, just me, my skis, poles and pack. This is the view from the top of Coyote Nipple Peak, looking down on Christina Lake. Time to drop.

Still remember how to make those K2s wiggle! This is looking up on the first third of my line. Snow was a little harder up higher.

But it got better, much better!

Here's my whole line top to bottom on CNP. Click and zoom, if you can't see it.

Here's another view. No yo-yoing this puppy. Not me anyway.

A slightly different look.

There was some good snow on the way out too. However, I'm not sure Atlantic Canyon is the way to approach Atlantic peak. Too many side drainages have you descending and ascending both on the way in and the way out. I'm convinced the alpine route up the Big Mountain drainage is the way to go.

Had a little better ride on the way out. Ha!

One last peek at Atlantic Canyon, Atlantic peaks, and Coyote Nipple Peak (farthest to left).

Go-Lite Gets Tele Tracks, Shad Gets Tally

Go-Lite gets it's first telemark tracks! Shad gets his first Tally!

Go-Lite Mountain, Southern Wind River Range, Shoshone National Forest

March 25th, 2006

Go-Lite. Best conditions yet!

Tallulah May Tinker Hamilton

Born: March 23rd, 2006

Tally's dad ridin' Go-Lite

He's smiling because his daughter has more hair than he does, and it's not on her chin. Ha!

Dino, telemarker extraordinaire, taking his first look at his first Southern Wind line.

And then lettin' her rip!!! Yahoo! Go teleman go!

Ride the Winds!!

Hmmm. Can you guess which ones are tele tracks?

Dino drops the notch on Go-lite. Not quite a coulior, not quite a chute. We'll call it a notch.

Conditions were superior on the whole mountain today. Almost corny!

Shad drops the notch. "Look mom, no poles!"

Lines from the notch. Poor Go-lite got shreaded again.

Dino puts on a telemarking clinic to wrap things up for the day.

Our last lines for the day. We grabbed four total for the day. Dropped right back to sleds before 2:00pm.

Here's Go-Lite. Click on it and you can make out some of our lines.

Beautiful day! Overcast a bit and very toasty. Not much wind either. What a way to wrap an epic week. It just got better too. Got home around 4:00pm, called the hospital to check on Tally and mom. It was finally time for them to come home. Now I'll have some one to keep me company when I get up in the morning at 3:00am to ready for the day's backcountry adventure. Ha! Can't wait until she can come too!

Thanks for the ride!

Splitboards Tour High Marker Hill

Splitboards on High Marker Hill

Christina Lake Area, Shoshone National Forest, Southern Wind River Mountains

Saturday, March 11th, 2006

High Marker Hill (from Christina Lake)

Again, this mountain doesn't really have a name. Christina pass is to left of it, that's about the only area up there that's named though, that I know of. Since there's a good snow machine trail right to the base of this mountain, and since I've seen snowmobiles high mark on it, I've kinda been referring to it as High Marking Hill. So, I'll make it official, for my purposes.

Here's a plateau above High Marker Hill, with a great view of Big Mountain, the area we surfed last weekend.

The weather was a bit colder than it had been, but the snow was deeper too. We found ourselves skinning up through some pretty good powder. Ofcourse, rather than turn around and drop it, I persuaded the crew to circle around the other side of the drainage and try to drop a steeper, cool looking run, that I had been eyeing a lot last year.

Chuck and Karla round the bend and head into run I wanted to speck out. It was steep. Not exactly blower pow though.

I figured out a way to get face shots on it though. Ha! I think Chuck did too. That'll wake you up in the morning! Whew!

How big are these slopes? Chuck and Karla traverse across one, after dropping my bright idea.

Back on the good stuff. Chuck drops.

Chuck and Karla going for seconds.

KKarla rides the pow!

Shad's third line for the day. This is only the very bottom part of the ride. Times it by three or so to get an idea how big they are.

Chuck's third line.

The upper part of my last run for the day.

Here's a profile of our second run of the day.

For most of the day we had the mountain to ourselves. We had to break trail with the skidoos to get in there, but it was all ours for a while. Around 2:30 though, as we were climbing for our fourth run, we saw about six machines buzzing across the lake headed our direction. I knew they'd probably follow our trail in, since it was the only one there. I also figured they wouldn't be able to resist shreading all of the powder that we had been decorating with squiggles all day. I was right. In no time at all they had the slope all gobbled up. Oh well, can't say I wouldn't do the same. Ha! There's enough mountain for all of us up there.

A view of some of the final runs for the day.

I'm not sure, but I think the squiggles prevailed. Ha! Not bad for a day's work. Click on it to really have a look.

A view from the chair lift.

Chuck's chair lift. Maybe next time, we'll try using them like that. Ha!

A look back at High Marker Hill. We dropped from the highest point once, and the nobby looking high points, maybe a few times.