A few years ago I had the last minute opportunity to travel to Baffin Island, Canada for some steep chute skiing and snow kiting. For 2 and ½ weeks we camped on sea ice and explored what felt like another planet. We discovered and skied 6 new lines all of which were steep rock lined classics over 2,500ft. We also repeated several beauties that were skied two years prior by Andrew Mclean and Brad Barladge.
This is “Narrow-minded”, the highlight of our outing to the arctic. The following is a little report of an afternoon adventure in the Sam Ford Fjord area.
When we stumbled upon this lovely vertical stripe of snow, we didn’t think it was ski able. The chokes looked too narrow and we figured it would be 60-degree ice for the last several hundred feet. With ice screws and tools on the packs we snuck around the glacier it emptied onto and found our way to the apron.
From here it just became more and more promising as the snow revealed itself to be soft and the upper bit was only 50+ degrees. The chokes were still very narrow in passing, maybe 3ft in places, but we weren’t opposed to a down climb.
We topped out of the chute and continued to the summit through a boulder field, without skis.
I tried to enjoy the view, but I was too anxious with thoughts of the 2,000ft that was still between our camp and us. (This is not the actual summit, it was taken from a different chute).
The top 40ft was too tight for turns so we retraced out steps making good use of our whippets.
Usually called “hop” turns, these were more like “hope” turns.
Initiating that first leap of faith is always the hardest for me. When it’s that steep and all that’s holding you to the snow is a thin metal edge, it’s hard for my mind to accept jumping into space to see what happens. Once the commitment is made and the action occurs those thoughts disappear, focus and attention rule the moment.
As the slope declined our confidence inclined and we were able to actually enjoy this haunting little rock recess.
We reomoved our skis for one more down climb and the rest of the chute skied really well.
It was a nice feeling returning to our sunny camp and the frozen flats after escaping that dark vertical narrow-minded world.
Looking at this chute still gives me chills. I would mark Narrow-minded down as the dumbest, funnest, craziest, finest, boldest time I’ve had on skis, so far.
Thanks to Darrell Finlayson for putting the trip together, putting up with me and taking the photos.
