Winter and Ski Ascents

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xavier81_81
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Winter and Ski Ascents

Post by xavier81_81 »

Hello all,

This is my first post on the 14ers.com forum. I’ve hiked about two dozen fourteeners in the past couple of years, but now I’m trying to prioritize them. After looking at others’ checklists and trip reports I was left with a few questions.

1. What exactly counts as a winter ascent?
2. Can you count a winter ascent and a ski descent on the same climb? Or do they have to be separate attempts?

Just curious about the technicalities of climbing a fourteener. Any advice and answers to my questions would be very much appreciated.
Omatt89
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Re: Winter and Ski Ascents

Post by Omatt89 »

I'll take a swing,
A winter ascent is solely judged by when it's done within the calender year...winter is technically from Dec 21 to about March 20th and sometimes vary from year to year.
I have a couple ski descents on 14ers way past winter , but hiked alot of snow and rode snow , so call it what you will but to the laimen , that's hard-core and as good as anything.
Winter is technically over but still snow around for awhile. As far as prioritizing them to get them done, Hiking snow is easier than hiking rocky trails and less impactful, and skiing snow down is easier and faster than hiking rocky trails down.
Have fun and be safe
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Anima
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Re: Winter and Ski Ascents

Post by Anima »

If I remember correctly, the “official” winter 14er rules, coined by some of the first winter 14er finishers, go like this:

To get a “true” winter ascent, the peak must be climbed between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox. One must not leave the trailhead before the commencement of winter, and must return to the trailhead before the end of winter.

So if the winter solstice occurs at 9:37am on December 21st, than you cannot start climbing until 9:38am to get a true winter ascent.

If the spring Equinox is on March 20 at 8:37pm, you must get back to the trailhead by 8:36pm.

The times of the winter solstice and spring equinox vary by year.

Unfair means of travel are not allowed, such as snow mobiles or Snowcats. Skis (skinning), snowshoes, along with other traditional means of human powered travel are allowed. Essentially this “rule” stands to stop people from using snowmobiles to reach far-flung peaks and than claim a winter ascent.

Now unless you’re setting records or trying to complete a list, no one is going to care what you deem a “winter ascent.” It is generally accepted though that the peak must be climbed in calendar winter (winter solstice - spring equinox).

If I am forgetting any of the “official rules” someone please correct me.

I am unfamiliar with what deems a “ski descent.”
What is real will prosper.
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Danger_D
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Re: Winter and Ski Ascents

Post by Danger_D »

Winter ascents are relatively straight forward in that they just have to happen in calendar winter and meet whatever other criteria there are (3,000 foot rule, as an example)

Ski Ascents are a little trickier. These can both ticked off on the same trip as the winter climb. As a very broad statement, you have to ski/board off the very summit and ski uninterrupted down a considerable amount of the mountain. I'm newer to ski mountaineering myself, but if you want an exhaustive and cantankerous (and kinda funny) discussion about what actually qualifies as a "true" ski descent, there is a massive thread from last year which discusses it viewtopic.php?f=26&t=59811.

Though take all of this with a grain of salt. Most people just use the lists here to keep track of their own climbs, and unless you are going for a specific goal or certain recognition by the community, you don't need to get to caught up in the rules
Last edited by Danger_D on Fri Apr 29, 2022 9:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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cottonmountaineering
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Re: Winter and Ski Ascents

Post by cottonmountaineering »

winter ski descents are hard, usually there is not enough snow, dangerous avy conditions, poor skiing conditions, or combination of all those
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