APOCALYPSE COULOIR

Bottom of the Apocalypse Couloir

 Well, just got back from a week in Jackson, and had a great time. Skied a few lines I haven’t skied before, and also took another stab at the Apocalypse Couloir. Phil, Jim Larue and I skied it a few years ago in a heavy winter from the top. It appears that we were lucky to not get rained on with debris and ice chunks as we did this time.

Apocalypse from death canyon

This time Phil was joining me for another go around, and Jon Lewis for his first time in this intimidating couloir. We got a pretty early start, as we just got some new snow, and the temperatures were not that cold. It was also supposed to be a cloudy day with snow showers, which would have made the climb a little safer. It turned out to be totally bluebird, and warming up fast.

Heading up the couloir

 We all new the hazard going into the day, and it was a process of evaluating the deteriorating conditions. I figured to keep going until something stopped us. It was getting warm, but not much was coming down the couloir yet. Okay, keep going.

Jon, Phil and I gearing up at the base

This was a different ski day because we had climbing gear with us, we didn’t know what to expect in the crux. We had a rope , crampons, ice tools, harnesses, and ice screws. The crux can vary from a ski through, as we found a few years ago, to a few 65 deg ice bulges, as we found this day.

The ski through crux in a heavy snow year

Impressive ice in the couloir

Jon climbs the lower part of the couloir

Getting deeper into the Apocalypse

Nearing the ice bulge crux

Jon experiments with flash photography

As we neared the crux, there wasn’t much activity of falling debris yet, so we decided to  move quickly, and solo through.

Jon at the base of the crux

 Jon was first, I was second, and Phil third. As Jon neared the top of the ice bulge things started to change, there was some sluff coming off the south facing wall, and funneling through the narrows. Jon was near the top when he got hit with a wave of loose sluff, and I was in the middle, I drove my tools into the ice bulge and prepared for the worst. Phil was lucky, and below the ice bulge. The sluff was not as bad as it could of been, but I believed it was a sign of things to come, I made the call to get out of there.

Jon in the middle of the crux, where I was when the sluff came.

Jon and I down climbed the ice bulge, and retreated to relative safety under some overhanging ice. We put some screws into the ice and anchored in to protect us from more sluff to come.

Anchored in

Phil is having fun, Jon wants out

We anchored in and transitioned to ski mode which took a little bit. I rushed to get ready, and was first to ski.

Ready to go

Lets get out of here

Good powder in the Apocalypse

I skied first, and did not stop until I hit death canyon creek, in fear of more sluff coming down. Phil and Jon were not so lucky, and were hit with ice chunks and debris before they skied. I think it was a good call to get out of there.

Phil after getting white washed with debris

I’m glad we made the call to get out the Apocalypse. Next time we need colder temperatures to make the couloir safe to ski. There is just way too much danger above you releasing in warm temperatures.