sawtooth mountains: the sickle

The Beartooths really lit the fire in me to explore more classics outside of the Wasatch over the next few weeks before I take off for some back to back expeditions. I started looking around the Sawtooths and found this image of Horstmann Peak and “the sickle” couloir. It seems like every range has a sickle. After spending way too much time staring at it, the weather finally lined up last week and I decided to go have a look. It appears this is one of the king lines in Idaho. The approach is long, but it seemed possible to go light and fast and ski both the huge hanging face to the right as well as the chute in a day.

I thought I’d be going solo until Will Cardamone arrived in town from Colorado on his way to Haines. We had some beers in the evening and I threw out the idea. Chill as fuck as always, the mizzly (part man, part grizzly) and his partner Chason, decided to detour to the Sawtooths with me. Sure it was about to dump over 30 inches in the Wasatch, but I’ve lost my appetite for powder, and the hunger for classic steeps is raging.

We arrived at the trail-head ready for the long approach since the gate is still closed this time of year.

Luckily, we were able to bum a ride from some construction workers on their way to repair the docks on the lake that had received some damage from the winter ice. Oh yeah, the crew had grown in size. Chason had called his friends Clubber and Taylor from Jackson and they drove over with their dog, Trout. And we ended up staying at their friend Scott’s warehouse, where he runs a river trip operation with his dog, Salmon. He wanted to join in the fun. The more the merrier. All aboard!

One of mankind’s few bright ideas, this “Wilderness”. Leave it alone.

We followed a well maintained trail until just past the lake and the wilderness boundary. Then it was some slow overland travel through fallen timbers and patches of snow.

And on occasion “the sickle” would make it’s presence known and we’d head towards it.

Chason and Salmon navigating one of several creek crossings.

After a relatively flat 5 miles or so we hit the apron and started climbing.

Some lovely south facing lines staring back at us across the valley.

My hopes were high for the Horstmann face, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that it was pretty thin and the lower portion had large sections with that certain glazed sheen that only ice crust can reflect. I’d like to ski it, but I’d like to do so in better conditions.

The snow on the apron was pretty soft and felt good and got better and better the higher we climbed until it was knee deep in the chute proper.

The good snow ended abruptly as we entered the tight finish. Choppy and firm remnants of previous side-stepping and chopping.

Staring down the barrel of the gun, or the edge of the sickle blade I guess. Upper turns were few and far between for me. The frozen ribs left by the previous party were not friendly to land on. Apparently my side-slipping helped groom it out for the others.

Chason letting gravity do most of the work in the near fifty degree upper section.

Scott and Salmon fluffing themselves in the gut of the goods.

Salmon was getting sloughed out, buried, and almost run over, but couldn’t get enough. He’d whine to keep moving anytime we stopped more than a few minutes.

I’m not really much of a toker, but after repeated invitations, I passed the pipe a few times. I may or may not have inhaled. It dulled the pain of the long flat exit, so I guess it was for medicinal purposes. Our timing was impeccable and we ran into more laborers leaving for the day, and we were saved a few miles of pavement.

Great outing with a fun mix of new folks!

It was cool to get out onto bigger terrain and see much more of the range from higher vantage points. Might as well keep rolling with the classics, McGown Peak’s north couloir to come!