Damn Avalanche Gullies

I really wanted to climb at the Hillside Pillars after Ekultna Canyon, and I hadn't been up there in months. It was a beautiful sunny day, which was especially nice since I got rained on all morning...Yuck! But the Hillside Pillars is unfortunately located in a massive avalanche gulley...two large cornices were lurking like assasins above a wind loaded slope that hadn't slid. Natural avalanches had released on multiple slopes with the same aspect. Sometimes I hate being responsible...but its fun to be alive!

So this is the far away look at the mountains above the Hillside Pillars, the gulley on the far right, and all the slopes above it funnel down into the pillars.

 

Looking out toward Pioneer Peak

 

Natural releases on the same aspect

 

A look at the pillars and the massive cornices above it

 

To see a few more pictures click here, the closer mountain views just show more views of the cornices and slopes above the pillars. It hasn't slid yet this season...

Looking up the Gun Barrel at The Hillside Pillars