We decided to go big and go for this cool line on Mount Hamilton that we had seen from across the valley while on Ellie. The line runs off the summit to the left, down the ridge to the cool sunny spine. From here there is a barely visible dog leg chute down onto the large apron.
Our alpine start began with a 2,000 foot descent of unthawed corn snow. From here we wrapped around and onto the Darwin Glacier and started climbing up. The snow was still powdery in the sheltered aspects and corn on the sunny slopes.
Billy topping out on the dog leg section. From here we had a great view of the south face of Mount Darwin and we schemed about laying tracks on it.
Adam on the summit ridge.
Then from the summit we schemed about laying more tracks on more mountains. Cause if you look around, there are plenty of them to lay tracks on!
Group photo with everybody all slathered in sunscreen trying not to get fried (again).
This was a really fun line with steep turns off the summit, a crazy spine in the sky and then a really steep chute to dump us on the apron.
Billy Haas working the turns on the steeps (Photo: Beau Fredlund)
The temptation to tag another peak was high, but the temps were soaring and we still had a huge climb back to the hut so we ended the day and slogged home.
Our plan for the next day was to tag Mount Walter and Mount Green in a little link up. With the warm temps we hoped that Mount Walter and especially the beautiful face of Mount Green might corn up really nice.
Another lovely early morning start. This time with the absence of Billy. He wasn’t feeling well and stayed behind to keep the hut company.
The entry was a fun one. We did a little tight rope walking on the steepest and most exposed rib I’ve ever been on.
Beau and Adam forging ahead with the increasingly daunting face of Mount Green on the left and the mild Mount Walter on the right.
We ticked Walter first and he turned out to be steeper and spicier than expected since the snow was firm. Then we traversed to Green and booted up with crampons. Beau nearing the summit with Ellie in the background.
Turns off the summit down the ridge were good.
Adam decided to try the face up high and was met with really bad breakable mixed snow, but at least it was really steep, so no big deal. Beau and I chickened out and skied down the ridge and then boot down a short piece of the face before clicking back in and skiing the lower portion.
The rest of the ski was with mixed snow, but great terrain! Some POV from the spine as Adam and Beau work their way down.
The trip just kept giving us good weather and skiable snow and we felt obliged to continue taking peaks. However, we were running low on peaks and we were low on food. We visited the nearby hut and “borrowed” some tea and oats and whatever food we could find to give us another day or two.
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