The Awesome Pillar

Me, Bill, Todd and Carina went back the Awesome Valley.  From the parking lot at Victory Road, to  where we parked the snow-go was about 6 miles, then it was about a 4 mile ski up the creek to the base of the Awesome pillar.

Leaving the parking lot

The river was open in places and had a weak fluffy layer of snow over it in others.

The Adventure of the Approach

Collapsing Snow

The pillar is in HUGE this year, it seemed twice as wide as the last time I was here.  

 The Awesome Pillar

Bill Leading 

Never put a dehydrated meal in your pocket!!

Super fun day out with good people in a beautiful spot.

Caribou Creek Keeps on Giving

The day started out with me and Bill trying to get to the gravel creek pillar.  Instead we drove around in circles and got the snow machine stuck in the alders.  Bill pretty much quietly refused to snow shoe the last mile or so to the route.  So instead we had lunch at the Long Rifle lodge and then headed back to Caribou creek.  A snow-go is a game changer...leave the car at 2pm...no problem, when a 4 mile approach takes 15 minutes.

Bill at the base of Robo Pick

It was not warm in the shade

Bill almost at the top

 

Caribou Creek

I met up with Bill, Carina and Todd and we all headed back Caribou creek together on Bill's snow-go.  Bill and I climbed what I like to call the Trifecta.  The one on the far left grew smaller and more mellow as we approached...it ended up being a single pitch of juicy grade 3...my favorite.

The Trifecta: Double Take Area

Bill got to lead the original double take, its seems just the same as it used to, steep.  I got the right climb, and it was great moderate ice.

Bill on the original Double Take

Carina on Double Take

Bill and I were both surprised that we finished all the climbs by about 2, still leaving lots of light in the day.  Carina and Todd came and climbed Double Take, then we all went down to the next climb.  I've never seen China wear in this big before, the top had some nice steep lines and was wide enough that we all climbed relatively at the same time.

China Wear

Beers and burgers at the long rifle lodge was a great end to the day.

Skiing at Hatcher

It has been a climbing sort of winter, but I was reminded again how good skiing can be!   Super fun day out on Marmot in Hatcher Pass.

Ryan at the base of Marmot Peak



It was so good!