TR: James Peak (13,294 ft) - 5/3/2008

[pappag]

James Peak (with Super Star Couloir to far looker's right):







Elevation gain: 3,000 feet
RT: ~ 8 miles
Time: 8 hours ... we spent some time at the summit soaking in views and checking out our descending options

Compadres, photogs extraordinaries, anti-gnar slayers: NPG, Daywalker





Daywalker and I got into town around 5:15 AM and drove around a bit trying to find the closest access point. We settled on the $5 lot near the trailhead. We waited around a bit for a few fellow maggots but to no avail, we started skinning up at 6.

But first, the moon as seen from the middle of Fall River Road:





We ran into another maggot, Elkhound Odin, who is pictured below while beginning the trek up St. Mary's Glacier:





Daywalker in the middle of the glacier with some horrible lighting in the background:





Mmmmmmm ... delicious:





Lots of dogs out and about this day. Here's some doggie stoke with Grays (14,270 ft) and Torreys (14,267) in the background:





Mount Bancroft (13,250):





Pikes Peak (14,110) some 80 miles away:





It was such a perfect day (we were later told the 1st or 2nd bluebird day since January), you could see an infinite number of peaks:

L to R: Mt. Evans (14,222), Gray Wolf Mountain (13,602), Mt. Bierstadt (14,049), Square Top Mountain (13,783), Mt. Wilcox (13,163), Argentine Peak (13,120), Mt. Edwards (13,839)





Parkview Mountain (12,296) 40 miles to the northwest:





Long's Peak (14,255) and the rest of RMNP:





Berthoud Pass, Winter Park, and the Gore Range:





NPG at the summit sporting his orange-colored Michelin jacket (not my fault NOAA miscalculated the temperatures by 15 degrees ... oh yeah, there was absolutely NO wind whatsoever). Parry Peak (13,391) in the background.





Daywalker at the summit:





After spending some time soaking in the amazing views, we began looking for a way down from the peak ... so we traversed to the north side and took a look over the edge. This is what we saw ....

Super Star Couloir entrance (I think ):






Here's a view from the southside ridge:





So option 1 equals failure. Daywalker is very annoyed at this point. So he looks to the south side of James and spots some potential:





We begin hiking back to the summit and down again and take a look inside what is Shooting Star Couloir. I took a step inside and sunk 3 feet.





Daywalker ponders the "what-ifs":





A little further down the ridge from Shooting Star is another shot called Starlight which would be our 3rd and final option. Looks good, but didn't feel good after downclimbing into the top section.





On to the skiing. Unfortunately, we spent too much time at the summit and the clouds quickly rolled in around 12/12:30 PM. So the action shots didn't come out too great. Here's the few that made the showroom floor cut.



Daywalker slaying the corn with Mount Bancroft in the background:





NPG:





A closer view of Daywalker for all you single ladies out there:











One panorama shot before we go (click to view in larger size):







In sum:
+ awesome awesome perfect day
+ amazing views
+ holy sastrugi on the descent --> makes for interesting maneuvering
+ super easy, mellow skin up ... probably no more than 25-30*
+ will be back for sure

[BurnHard]

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! SOOOOO wish I had been there!
Some sick lines to be had there, we HAVE to get out there again and ski Super Star!

[Rontele]

Nice photos! sastrugi is synonymous with St. Mary's, James, and Bancroft

[skier666]

Looks like we got the same BC setup...

[MOHSHSIHd]

Looks like a great day to get out and slay corn guys.

You guys might want to check out Bancroft as well. Very easy access towards Lake Lomond as long as you are in a high-clearance vehicle.

This face was tempting when I skied it, but being solo and warm, I backed off.

[skier666]

Ewwwwwwwwww! Scary is right!

[montanaskier]

good job Pappa G and DayWalker. Great scenics!

[TeleHoar]

Excellent score.
Once again, I'm sorry I didn't join you.

[Foggy_Goggles]

Nice. I can't see those peaks from my window. I personally find access from the other side much more enjoyable but I guess it depends on where you live.

[MrZach]

Sweetness! Was waiting for this one since Saturday .

So, umm, do not want:

I'm assuming the Superstar line is from upper left into the gnargniated cheesegrater? The thought of that causes my testicles to hide behind my kidneys.

[MOHSHSIHd]

Sweetness! Was waiting for this one since Saturday .

So, umm, do not want:

I'm assuming the Superstar line is from upper left into the gnargniated cheesegrater? The thought of that causes my testicles to hide behind my kidneys.

Its hard to tell in that pic, but it doesn't look so deadly from this angle:

[pappag]

Here are a few pictures that give a better idea:

[smitchell333]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but I think this line is Starlight Couloir:


http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...rlight+Couloir

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...rlight+Couloir

[MrZach]

^^^ Thanks, guys ^^^
My testicles have since descended back into normal position

[Elkhound Odin]

After seeing you evaluation of the couloirs, I don't feel bad that I missed a shot having my dog with me. Although, it would have been nice if the snow softened a bit when I descending. Damn it was hard - teeth losing hard. I only found a few powder spots, right off the summit, then off the lower face. But the bluebird sky and lack of wind was worth the trip by itself.

Odin gave the day 2 paws up!

[HuckSolo]

Cool TR and looks like good coverage on J peak

[pappag]

What we saw from this couloir was that it bends hard to the left about halfway down. If you instead continued to the right, you would fly off a cliff. I'm guessing this bend is what Iskibc ramped in your TR.

Hard to tell from the pictures, but I think this line is Starlight Couloir:


http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...rlight+Couloir

http://tetongravity.com/forums/showt...rlight+Couloir

[coloskier]

I was waiting for this TR to show up. Now you see why I was so torn Friday night trying to decide where to spend my weekend. That area is sweet, especially for how close to Denver it is. Anyone who skied the Y on Saturday earned it - pikes peak hwy wasn't open to the summit. Our last minute change of plans to Little Bear Peak worked out quite well though.

[Ireallyliketoski2]

Sickness, the star couloirs are off the charts.

[Lone Star]

beautiful pics, NPG.

[jon turner]

Sweet! Looks like a fun day out. Superstar looks entertaining.

[Daywalker]

A closer view of Daywalker for all you single ladies out there:

You didn't even get my good side...

There's a lot of shots missing of Mr. PG, mainly because I still don't know how to use those new-fangled digital cameras. It was a fun day and those couloirs really need to get hit.

Somehow the shot of Nick Pappag bringing urban style to the backcountry got left out of the TR...

[Powow]

Daywalker and I got into town around 5:15 AM and drove around a bit trying to find the closest access point. We settled on the $5 lot near the trailhead. We waited around a bit for a few fellow maggots but to no avail, we started skinning up at 6.

Yeah, sorry about that...fucking power went out overnight and killed my alarm clock.

Looks like a nice day. MTBing wasn't a bad consolation prize.

[BurnHard]

Yeah, all powow's fault!!!
Indeed, biking Walker Ranch wasn't too shabby ...

[ColMan]

Hard to tell from the pictures, but I think this line is Starlight Couloir:

Starlight has a much wider entrance ramp and is further east (taken when I skied it in '06):



I believe NPG's pic is Shootingstar.