Wishbone Couloir, Silas Canyon

First Splitboard Descent on the Wishbone Couloir

Silas Canyon, Popo Agie Wilderness Area, Shoshone NF
June 23rd, 2006

The Wishbone Coulior
(I'm calling it that because, to my knowledge it doesn't have a name)

Earlier this year, in February, on a trip up Silas Canyon, I first set sights on the Wishbone. It's the dominate rib shaped couloir to the looker's left.

The Wishbone in February

The Wishbone in June

Before we get to far along, better get the Tally pic out of the way, for those who aren't as interested in snow. Ha! Tally goes Boone and Crocket! A trophy five point Tallulah... in June no less. "Look mom... horns!" Or wait, maybe it's a Jack-o-Tally.

Back to the trip report...

I left Lander around 6pm Thursday and was on the trail a little after 7pm. About 4 or 5 miles later I set up camp above Island Lake, round about 10pm. I was sacked out by 11pm. I wasn't sure how fast the couloirs would heat up, so I got up about 4am. Above is a picture of my camp around 4:30am.

Looking up the Wishbone around 5:30am, and then a bit a later when the sun was starting to light up the mountain tops. Turned out to be a beautiful spot to watch the sunrise.

A Silas Canyon Couloir Troll???

Looking down, kind of at the wishbone part of the Wishbone Couloir. Later, I'd have quite an experience negotiating this part of the couloir. I think I probably could have started later. The snow was still pretty hard. At this point I was cursing myself for not bring my crampons. Figured I'd save a few pounds on the pack in, so I left the spikes at home. Bugger! The going was slow until the snow warmed up.

Slowly making my way up the couloir.

Finally, nearing the top, it started to open up. It remained pretty steep though.

The Silas Canyon Couloir Troll communicates in sign. I think it means, "Whew! I made it!"

The views from the top were fabulous. Great spot for breakfast! The lighting was awesome at 8:00am. Wind River Peak is the peak in the looker's left, and Lizard Head can be seen to the right of that. In the foreground is the Thumb Lake cirque and a nifty couloir dropping into it.


A better view of Thumb Lake and it's couloir.

More views from the top. I took the splitboard out for this trip- it packs easier. Island Lake, Deer Lake, and Silas Canyon can be seen below.

How steep is it? Damned steep. Inclinometer said 45 to 50 degrees. Wishing I had my skis now. Here we go...

Tracks and turns, but yikes... I should have let it warm up more.

Two thirds of the way down, looking at the wishbone part of the couloir.

I did well up to this point, however the snow got a little harder down here- slippery on a solid base. It had not recieved as much sun as the top yet. I should have waited. Bugger. Notice the ice axe in hand. I needed it. Got to practice my ice axe arresting techniques. I'd say I need more practice.

I tried a big ol' nice turn, and whoooosh, lost my edge. Off to the races! I was suddenly going going the speed of sound toe-side, belly down, straight down the couloir. At one point I was head first, then I remembered the "Y" and the pile of granite rocks that made the "Y" and how my helmet probably wasn't design to take a blow at 50mph with my head in it. Somehow that thought inspired me to roll and get my feet under me. That gave me enough control to get by the rocks. I was finally able to get a good two-hand stab with my ice axe, and that was enough to drag me to a stop before just before the next rock piles. Whew! If you click on the right-hand photo, you can see my tracks. Pretty impressive straight lining. Ha! Scary as shit! I think I might have to stick to skis for spring/summer couloirs.

At the bottom of the Wishbone Couloir, with all of my bones intact! Talk about a ride.

Back at camp. I had a little time to play on some small stuff (picture on the left). The view from camp was awesome. It's a great site. Only about 15 minutes from the snow on the apron of the Wishbone. I might have to get back up there soon with my skis.

One last look. I made sure to leave some couloirs for my next trip. The one on the left looks to be a dandy!

Mt. Moran and The Skillet Glacier

Mount Moran via the Skillet Glacier
Teton Range, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Saturday, June 3rd, 2006

Every ski trip should start like this.

Matt Lloyd and I start paddling across Jackson Lake, towards Mt. Moran around 8:30pm Friday night, June 2nd, 2006.

The route we paddled is in blue. It took a little over and hour to paddle five miles. It was about 10:00pm when we pulled the boat ashore and set up camp for a few hours of sleep.

Mount Moran, all 12,600 some feet of it, and the routes we took. Red was our climbing route and blue was the skiing down route. From shore to peak it's a 6000 ft. climb- maybe 4000 feet of climbling snow, and then skiing it.

We got up on Saturday, a few hours after we got there, at 2:45am. We were saddled up and bush whacking in the dark around 3:30am. We hit the snow line and began skinning around 5am. This picture was taken not long after that. It's towards the bottom, approaching the top of the "skillet".

After crossing the skillet, skins came off and we strapped the skis to our backs. Time to boot pack, and start the long trudge up through the "handle" and the "runnel". Above, Matt starts the climb. This was about as close as I got to keeping up with him. Ha!

The views of Jackson Lake that we got were amazing. Great place to watch the sun come up.

Looking up the at the "candlestick" from about two thirds of the way up the "handle". A ways to go still. Whew! Dunno about this one.

Shad making his way up the last stretch of the "candlestick". It was pretty slow going for me at this point.

Finally, I'm near the top. Just and the fog starts rolling in.

A view from the top of Moran looking over the other side, up a pretty cool canyon. Impressive country!

At the top, Matt gazes at the scenery and tries to warm up, after waiting on my pokey arse for hour. He flew up the Moran, top to bottom probably in 5 and half hours. Took me closer to seven. I think Matt summited before 9:00am. I reached it closer to 10:00am.

Shad with Mt. Moran summit in the background. While waiting for me Matt hiked his skis up around the rocks and skiied down it.

Time to drop... into the mist.

Shad, out of candlestick, below the clouds and into the handle. The snow was fantastic!

Shad drops the candlestick and then looks down the handle. So much to ski!

Matt drops from the top, down the candlestick through the foggy mist.

Out of the misty candlestick on to the handle, Matt lays down the tele turns.

Matt, dropping into the skillet now.

Shad head out of the handle towards the skillet.

Shad rides the skillet. It's huge!!!

Tally rides her skillet too!

Looks like corn!

Whooosshhh!!!

Matt lays down a beautiful line up across the side of the skillet and take a break above the skillet.

Matt on the edge, almost out of the skillet, Jackson lake in the background.

Shad, enjoying the bushwhack back to camp.

With a little more light coming back, we were able to ski a bit further down than we thought we would be able too. This is where the skiing pretty much stopped though.

Matt, Moran and the skillet. Been there, done that!

We got back to camp around 12:30pm. Shedded our sweat soaked ski gear, and broke out the brews. It felt sooo good to pop those ski boots off. They work good for snow, but I hate hiking in them. Whew!

After relaxing a bit, we decided to earn some browny points with the Generals back home. We packed up our gear, loaded up and started our paddle home aroudn 3:30pm. Matt caped in canoe attire, loads up. We turned the boat around for one last look at Moran.

Shad paddles with home with Mt. Moran in the background. I'm not sure that grin ever left my face for the rest of that day. Mt. Moran and the Skillet in 24 hours, probably my biggest backcountry achievement yet. Unbelievable!