It’s been awhile since we last updated the Blog, but that’s only because we’ve been incredibly busy in the last few weeks with mountaineering courses, ice climbing trips, and avalanche courses! It’s been a great start to the season here in the San Juans, and despite a somewhat slow beginning in terms of snowfall for the range, we’ve certainly caught up to and surpassed the average snowfall for this point in the season.

The most recent storm dropped another 2+ feet of snow in the range. The storm was characterized by very light density snow with low moisture content. Translation: cold smoke powder snow.

Unfortunately, given the delay between the previous storm and the weather that typified that time delay, there has been widespread surface hoar formation on many aspects and at a wide variety of elevations both above and below treeline.

Here is a field observations report from Mark Allen on our most recent Level 1 Avalanche Course, 12/28/10:

Little Molas Lake
Molas Pass Obs 20101228
Observers: Mark Allen & Katy Laveck: SWAG Level 1
TEST PROFILE
Aspect: NE
el. 10970′
Angle: 22 degree slope.
HS 133cm
Surf Form: 1-3mm V

Snow Pack Summary:
Upper: 50 cm comprised mostly of F-4F DF (the Dec 22/23 interface still reactive to CTH(21) SC @38cm on .5mmDF

Midd: 50-60cm 4F-1F+ cohesive slab small grained .3-.5mm DF with a non reactive
zipper melt melt Freeze Crust integrated @80cm.

Lower: 35cm of Depth Hoar in two distinct layers. The ground layer being reactive to DCTM(19) @130cm on 1.5.mmFC

TEST RESULTS
4 xCTH(21) SC Q2@38cm on .5mmDF
2X CTH(22) SC Q1@38cm on .5mmDF
1 X DCTM(19)@130cm on 1.5.mm FC

DEVELOPMENT:
Roughly 30-40cm of basal facets in two distinct layers (1-1.5mm) still persist, however, they appear to be beginning to round! We had hard to initiate results within the basal facet layer during a DCT. The mid pack is defiantly insulating the stress and is bound to increase the confidence of users. The wide spread 1-3mm Surface Hoar is going to be interesting to see how it deals with the 20″ of maritime snow that will arrive in the coming front. This is a classic BC and AK problem…are CO users used to this equation? I’m gonna get mine tomorrow and drink a beer this weekend as my terrain choice.

As always, have fun with all the new snow but stay safe out there…….Happy 2011!!

ND

Dispatch from Gary Falk about their recent successful ascent of Cotopaxi. More pictures to follow shortly!

We put six out of eight climbers on the 19,347 foot summit of cotopaxi friday morning, and conditions were perfect for climbing; supportable snow, clear skies, and mild wind. Views of the eastern and western cordillera were stunning, featuring Chimborazo (our next objective), the Ilianizas, Antisana, and the smoking Tungurahua .

Our day began at 11pm Thursday night with scrambled eggs, bread and jam, hot coffee and tea, and yogurt with granola. Spirits were high, no headaches, and everyone was psyched to go climbing. Recent precipitation allowed us to leave the refugio with crampons on, and we crunched up the initial snow field for an hour and a half, to the toe of the glacier. Now roped up, we wandered in the dark around crevasses, under seracs, and ahead of the snaking line of headlamps from the other 15-20 climbers below us.

Making good time, we traversed underneath the massive yannasaccha, which is the rock band on the northern side of the mountain, and over to the west side. Here, at dawn, we tromped up what we coined “cardiac ridge”, a 40 degree and 700 foot slope, and rested below the crux “canaleta”, or couloir, on a nice flat bench. Switching gears, we belayed the 60 degree ice pitch, and rest-stepped our way to the summit. After hugs, photos, and fuel, we turned around and headed down the exact way we came up. The uneventful descent took less than half as long as the ascent, and upon returning to the refugio we packed up and headed to la cienega, our hotel for the night. Tired, hungry, and psyched, we dined at 4pm, and afterward celebrated beside the fireplace while listening to a live local string/flute band.

This morning we slept in, ate, then drove to the town of banos, where the views of the erupting Tungarahua dominated our descent to the valley. Tonight we will soak in the hot springs and breathe the oxygenated air of the 3000 foot town.

Gary F.

Today we climbed Rumiñahui’s Central peak (15,203) to acclimatize further. Starting at the beautiful Limiopungo lake, the climb took us roughly 4 hours to the summit and only 2 hours back due to some fun shoe skiing down some scree sections.

Tonight we are at the Tombopaxi again and tomorrow we will be off to the Jose Ribas hut (15,700). There, we will be conducting a snow school and then off to bed for the early start for the summit at around 12AM. Everyone is excited and ready to go for our bid on Cotopaxi soon to come. The beauty of this place makes the climbing here that much sweeter and the people make getting by that much easier. What a life.

Bill G.

We climbed Pasochoa today, topping out at about 13,500ft. It is a beautiful hike beginning on a dairy farm, where we chatted with the owner who has been living there since 1937. The road from the farm to the trail, and from the town to the farm, rises up through the green hills and is constructed of millions of baseball sized rocks, placed by hand, over the years.

Along our hike we saw eagles soaring overhead, and staggering views of Cotopaxi and antisana in the distance. Our objective was in sight! Snowline on Cotopaxi is below the hut,as seen with bill’s superzoom camera, and that gives us a good idea of what the hike to the hut will be like. We lunched on the summit and enjoyed the ease of downhill travel on our way back to the cars.

An hour’s drive brought us to La Estacion, our lodging for the evening, where we dined and sampled a local drink called canalassa, which is made of a cinnimon and brown sugar mix, with sugarcane liquer added. After dinner we practiced with the ropes and fell into our soft beds. Tomorrow we travel to Cotopaxi NP and move upwards in our journey.

Gary F.

Our first day in Ecuador was spent walking around its capitol city Quito. Our local guide Marcelo, who was born and has spent his entire life in the city, gave us a great historical tour of the old part of the city. Sunday is an important day for Ecuadorians to spend time with their families, and due to traffic regulations, the streets were fairly clear of vehicles and families were riding bikes around the city and packing the local parks. We watched many games of football (soccer) and the older folks played a south american version of bocci ball.

Moving towds the capitol’s heart, we saw old hospitals, various government buildings, the mayor and the president’s homes, and of course, lots of vending. The highlight was a tour of a beautiful old church called “la basillica”, which took one hundred years to buuild, and is a giant mass of towers, gargoyls, and intricate painted glass windows. “Gargoyls on a catholic church?” you might ask. What the ecuadorians have done is build tributes to all the local wildlife in and around the jungles, and stone condors, giant sea turtles, jaguars, tapirs, caymans, and monkeys guard the church from high above.

Afterwards we walked to a large square and lunched outside and watched the local flair move by us. After lunch, we walked back towards our hotel and visited a local market where we shopped and bought some beautiful alpaca sweaters and scarves, and some trinkets for family members. The evening was spent practicing knots and hitches, and learning about altitude and altitude related illness and prevention of illness.

Tomorrow we launch for our first acclimatization hike, a small peak called Pasochoa, which will bring us up to about 13,500 ft. Tonight we will stay at hosteria La Estacion.

Gary F.

Saturday we decided to take the tools for a walk on Bird Brain Boulevard up in Skylight just outside Ouray, CO. As the first rays of light lit up the tops of the peaks to the west we were just finishing our approach to the base of Bird Brain Boulevard. The Ribbon which you pass on the way looks to be in fine climbing shape. Bird Brain starts of with some great mixed climbing (mostly rock this year) up slabs and into a nice chimney. The crux pitch is a thin layer of veriglass to the crux pillar. This year with several ascents already on it, the pillar has become severed. It is dry (not being feed), detached from the wall, and requires hard delicate mixed climbing with questionable protection to surmount. The rest of the climb follows beautiful chimney climbing with ever thickening ice. I would say that Bird Brain is probably climbable for other competent parties but it is defiantly NOT in fat or even healthy shape.

Have fun out there!

Ian A.