Couloir Practice

Dropping Mini-Couloirs in the Winds

Southern Windriver Range, Shoshone NF

January 7th, 2007

The mountain.

Chuck takes a run up some steep pow, trying to bust a trail into Christina Lake.

Just getting into the lake was an adventure on this day. The storm from the night before left quite a bit of new powder. We had to break trail the last five miles into the lake. It sure was handy having Chuck's powder hog along to plow a trail through the fresh snow. I think I would have been denied on my sled alone.

After digging out our sleds a few more times, we finally got to climbing up the mountain. Brian, Karla and Chuck skin towards the objective. It was definitely a cold and windy day, but not as bad as it could be I guess.

Still going up, taking in the views along the way.

Getting closer to the objective.

Chuck starts the climb into the notch/ mini-couloir. Karla and Brian opted to play in the powder below, rather than the rocks, wind and cold above 11,000 ft. Chuck and I had the notch to ourselves.

Chuck on top of the Mountain and it's mini-couloir.

Shad on top. Christina pass in the background.

Ready, aim,

take some time to air out your armpits...

and fire!

Shad drops the notch.

The top was pretty hard, but the snow was actually pretty decent after the first turn or two.

Chuck practiced his figure eights on the way down.

Chuck in action!

After the notch drop, we headed down the mountain and made a few more runs on lower, deeper stuff, that wasn't so exposed.

Chuck gets ready to pop a wheelie.

Karla rides the Southern Wind powder!

On the edge!

Brian, the lone tele-marker, sweeps in a turn or two.

Brian gets some more turns in. Kinda dense snow, but he chewed it up anyway.

Looking back at the mountain we just spent the day on. Good stuff! Even if it was cold and windy.

Gliding out down through the trees, back to the machines.

Back at the machines, packing up for the 15 mile ride back out to the vehicles. The arrow shows where Chuck and I dropped from earlier.

The end...

to another beautiful cold and windy day in the Southern Winds.