Peak(s):	Ice Mountain - 13,960 feet
Date Posted:	05/18/2017
Date Climbed:	05/13/2017
Author:	mojah

Getting Iced
Ice Mountain 2017.05.13 Refrigerator Couloir ski descent ~4,000' Vertical ~11.5 Miles Ice Mountain and its Refrigerator Couloir had been on my short list now for a couple seasons. While I've been skiing almost every weekend this whole spring, I haven't really gotten anything on that coveted "short list." On top of that, living in the Front Range for the first time I didn't even get close to the roughly 100 days a season I've been getting since moving out west. I was worried I'd lose any steep skiing skillz I thought I might have. My alarm rings and I'm finding the usual crux of the day to be unusually cruxy. I hadn't been sleeping well the last few days, likely because of the visit of an old college friend from Florida. We decide that the South lacks much of the cultural amenities of Denver, so we spend late evenings out catching up over high quality microbrews. Oh, and tequila shots. Because it wouldn't be a college reunion without reminiscing about bad decisions catalyzed by said liquor. I'm able to walk most of the trail on packed snow, and only mount up when postholing in the trees was inevitable. Many breaks were had, knowing that the Fridge was inset and north-facing, taking in the views of Apostle Basin. I skin up the creek once snow turned continuous. Seemed like there were at least 3 sets of skis and one set of snowmobile tracks up there from the week prior. Hmm. I thought this area was designated as wilderness. I break out of the trees and see the remainder of the route. I boot up a short chute to an unnamed lake, and climb another 1000' to the base of the couloir. Pencil chute leading to the upper basin Ice West Apostle Silver Basin to the north A bit of avalanche debris in the apron, but otherwise the Fridge looked to be in good shape. I start up, and quickly remember how much slower going it is solo, with no partner to help set the booter up soft snow. Nevertheless, I seem to still be making decent time. Higher-than-forecasted winds keep the snow cool, and I regret not bringing more layers. It dies down a bit as I get higher. By this time of year in seasons past, I've seemed to be mostly overprepared as far as layers go, so I went a bit lighter this time around. Upon returning to camp later, I found it hard to stay warm. I think now that I got chilled to bone, which while I've felt it once or twice before (usually after big winter days), I've never experienced in spring. Is there a proper term for that? I don't feel the chill while I'm out exerting, but once I get down and stop moving, it sets in; almost like I've caught a fever or something. Huron I reach the top of the couloir and am immediately greeted by even stronger winds. I climb the last 50 feet or so to the summit on the icy south face. It's perfectly calm right on top. Summit views of North Apostle and Huron Yale and Princeton to the south East (I think) toward Harvard and Columbia Elks and more Sawatch to the northwest Taylor Park to the southwest Shameless summit selfie I wait on the summit for about half an hour, taking in the views and enjoying the sun. East facing snow on the summit was just a hair past ripe now, but the south face where I had to traverse to the top of the Fridge was still icy from the relentless winds. There wasn't really a way around it. I suppose now that I could have stayed on the north or east face, but from what I'd seen, it was a rocky mess. Skis generally should be kept on snow. I start down at about 11, keeping my edges firmly in the icy slope. As I scrub some speed to make a turn back to the top of the Fridge, I feel my uphill ski pop off. Between my downhill ski and a quick jab down with my pole, I save it from careening almost 2000' down the south face. I've had my bindings prerelease on icy slopes before, but this would have been a high consequence ejection had I lost it. Maybe it's time to get proper ski mountaineering skis. You should only ski on powder sticks, since you can't really pick up chicks if you're only skiing 85mm underfoot. Alrighty then. I chop out a ledge to click back in, fully adrenalated. I guess I'll lock the toes for this one. I can safely say I've never really epiced during a ski descent, but this one got me thinking. I reach the top of the couloir without further incident. The sketchy things we do to claim a proper summit ski... Hero shot for the Instagram likes I start down the chute, generally staying skier's left where the snow had seen a bit more sun. I wander right a bit, and find firm snow again. Still a bit spooked, I contemplate waiting a bit longer for snow to warm up some more. In the end, I get impatient and work up the nerves to continue down, still staying generally to skier's left. Overall, very enjoyable! Had I waited a bit longer (or timed my start better), I imagine it would have been perfect. I traverse across the avy debris in the apron to find better snow, and find groomer-like snow turning into perfect corn down to the unnamed lake and the pencil chute. I continue down the drainage as far as I could on skis, through a morass of collapsing snow bridges, leaning willows, and small sections of uphill that seem to only present themselves on the way down. It's not long before I dismount and start walking, yes, even on snow. Avalanche runout. Lots of debris. There were 3 more spots like this on the road The more and more I ski peaks, the more and more I'm convinced that the best ski mountaineers aren't necessarily the ones who can ski with the best style, or the ones who can easily and consistently log 8000+ vertical feet in a day (neither of which I am), but the ones who can find and pick lines in safe and good condition (which I'm slowly getting better at). While it certainly helps to have the first two attributes, there's just something to be said about being so in tune with skiing mountains that finding good snow becomes second nature. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Getting Iced

Ice Mountain

2017.05.13
Refrigerator Couloir ski descent
~4,000' Vertical
~11.5 Miles

Ice Mountain and its Refrigerator Couloir had been on my short list now for a couple seasons. While I've been skiing almost every weekend this whole spring, I haven't really gotten anything on that coveted "short list." On top of that, living in the Front Range for the first time I didn't even get close to the roughly 100 days a season I've been getting since moving out west. I was worried I'd lose any steep skiing skillz I thought I might have.

My alarm rings and I'm finding the usual crux of the day to be unusually cruxy. I hadn't been sleeping well the last few days, likely because of the visit of an old college friend from Florida. We decide that the South lacks much of the cultural amenities of Denver, so we spend late evenings out catching up over high quality microbrews. Oh, and tequila shots. Because it wouldn't be a college reunion without reminiscing about bad decisions catalyzed by said liquor.

I'm able to walk most of the trail on packed snow, and only mount up when postholing in the trees was inevitable. Many breaks were had, knowing that the Fridge was inset and north-facing, taking in the views of Apostle Basin. I skin up the creek once snow turned continuous. Seemed like there were at least 3 sets of skis and one set of snowmobile tracks up there from the week prior. Hmm. I thought this area was designated as wilderness. I break out of the trees and see the remainder of the route. I boot up a short chute to an unnamed lake, and climb another 1000' to the base of the couloir.

A bit of avalanche debris in the apron, but otherwise the Fridge looked to be in good shape. I start up, and quickly remember how much slower going it is solo, with no partner to help set the booter up soft snow. Nevertheless, I seem to still be making decent time. Higher-than-forecasted winds keep the snow cool, and I regret not bringing more layers. It dies down a bit as I get higher. By this time of year in seasons past, I've seemed to be mostly overprepared as far as layers go, so I went a bit lighter this time around. Upon returning to camp later, I found it hard to stay warm. I think now that I got chilled to bone, which while I've felt it once or twice before (usually after big winter days), I've never experienced in spring. Is there a proper term for that? I don't feel the chill while I'm out exerting, but once I get down and stop moving, it sets in; almost like I've caught a fever or something.

I reach the top of the couloir and am immediately greeted by even stronger winds. I climb the last 50 feet or so to the summit on the icy south face. It's perfectly calm right on top.

East (I think) toward Harvard and Columbia

I wait on the summit for about half an hour, taking in the views and enjoying the sun. East facing snow on the summit was just a hair past ripe now, but the south face where I had to traverse to the top of the Fridge was still icy from the relentless winds. There wasn't really a way around it. I suppose now that I could have stayed on the north or east face, but from what I'd seen, it was a rocky mess. Skis generally should be kept on snow. I start down at about 11, keeping my edges firmly in the icy slope. As I scrub some speed to make a turn back to the top of the Fridge, I feel my uphill ski pop off. Between my downhill ski and a quick jab down with my pole, I save it from careening almost 2000' down the south face. I've had my bindings prerelease on icy slopes before, but this would have been a high consequence ejection had I lost it. Maybe it's time to get proper ski mountaineering skis. You should only ski on powder sticks, since you can't really pick up chicks if you're only skiing 85mm underfoot. Alrighty then. I chop out a ledge to click back in, fully adrenalated. I guess I'll lock the toes for this one. I can safely say I've never really epiced during a ski descent, but this one got me thinking. I reach the top of the couloir without further incident. The sketchy things we do to claim a proper summit ski...

I start down the chute, generally staying skier's left where the snow had seen a bit more sun. I wander right a bit, and find firm snow again. Still a bit spooked, I contemplate waiting a bit longer for snow to warm up some more. In the end, I get impatient and work up the nerves to continue down, still staying generally to skier's left.

Overall, very enjoyable! Had I waited a bit longer (or timed my start better), I imagine it would have been perfect. I traverse across the avy debris in the apron to find better snow, and find groomer-like snow turning into perfect corn down to the unnamed lake and the pencil chute.

I continue down the drainage as far as I could on skis, through a morass of collapsing snow bridges, leaning willows, and small sections of uphill that seem to only present themselves on the way down. It's not long before I dismount and start walking, yes, even on snow.

Avalanche runout. Lots of debris. There were 3 more spots like this on the road

The more and more I ski peaks, the more and more I'm convinced that the best ski mountaineers aren't necessarily the ones who can ski with the best style, or the ones who can easily and consistently log 8000+ vertical feet in a day (neither of which I am), but the ones who can find and pick lines in safe and good condition (which I'm slowly getting better at). While it certainly helps to have the first two attributes, there's just something to be said about being so in tune with skiing mountains that finding good snow becomes second nature.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

bmcqueen	Yikes! That would have sucked! 5/18/2017 2:48pm Glad you caught that ski man! Bring layers on Denali. It's cold there.
ScreeSurfer	Great Photos! 5/19/2017 3:03pm Nice work Jomah and good luck on Denali, I think you are ready!
Tornadoman	Great pictures 5/20/2017 9:12pm All of these snow routes look scary to me! Thanks for sharing, that area is so gorgeous!
kushrocks	Great Pics 5/31/2017 3:56pm Sick write up and climb. Can't wait to try this someday.
Above_Treeline	Wow! 9/2/2017 10:11pm That Is Amazing

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