Bottleneck Classic Couloir
The Bottleneck Classic, from a distance. 
After dropping the Diagonal (right), we peeked up the Bottleneck Classic (left). The snow felt better and looked better, so what the heck we figured- let's go for it. We decided to go as far as we could without crampons. We weren't too excited about skating down another couloir.
The entrance to the Bottleneck Classic.
Matt enters his second couloir for the day. The snow felt soooo much better going up this one.
Matt half way up the Bottleneck classic and still no crampons needed.
Matt, still climbing, still enthusiatic about corn conditions.
Getting close to the top. Towards the very top, it got really steep. My inclometer read 75 to 80 degrees at the top of the saddle. The snow was perfect though for climbing straight up.
Matt clears the final steep and summits the saddle.
Shad on the saddle summit, the Bottleneck Classic dropping off behind me.
Looking down the throat of the Bottleneck Classic couloir. No traffic on this one, unless you count Bighorn Sheep. Yup, that's right, tracks and sheep shit everywhere on the saddle summit of this couloir. It's amazing where those things can go. Couldn't believe it!
Looking down another perfect couloir on the other side of the BN saddle summit. This one drops straight down into Jules Bowl. What a line. So many couloirs, so little time. We thought about dropping it, but the thought of climbing back up it and having enough legs left to drop the BN, deterred us... at least for today.
Matt attempts to demonstrate tele-turns on a 70 degree slope...
and he sticks them.
After that, it's off to the races! Nothing but corn this time!
Whooohoooooo!
Still steep, but soooo much better!!
Shad, harvesting some corn.
You can actually see our turns in this snow. Way cool!!!
Matt, or Gumby (how does he twist himself like that?), dropping the gap on the Bottleneck Classic.
Beautiful! What a way to end the day. Soooo much better than the previous couloir. Nothing but corn on the apron too- that was fun!
A look back at both of the couloirs we climbed and skied this day. The ski back to the machines was pretty fun too.
The sleds, next to the Pinnacle Butte Trail sign on the way out. Still a few feet of snow left I would say. This was the last trip of the year for the snow machines though. I put them away for the season yesterday. That's always solemn occasion. Oh well- gotta start hiking again for June and July turns. Guess that's how it goes.
One final look back. A two couloir day in May, and no Grizzlies chased us around either! Awesome!!
posted by Shad Hamilton at 6:04 AM
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