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981 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 2:45 PM
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At the beginning of the winter season I never thought I’d be skiing down the sky ladder a few months later, but I guess that’s the way things turn out sometimes.
Our original plan was to climb and ski down the north face of Mt.Andromeda,but as we got onto the glacier and rounded into the north bowl, we saw a sheet of exposed ice near the very top that would ruin our chances of success. We then started looking over at the sky ladder,which also had a sheet of ice exposed just as the angle eased, a little over half way up. We thought there might be a way around it on climbers right(there was a strip of snow on the left side of the ice,but it was really exposed to cliffs below and in an awkard spot) so we decided to head up and take a look.
As we crossed the glacier,my knee started acting up and every step I was in pain. We skinned up to just below the bergschrund and then strapped the skis on our packs and started kicking steps up the slope. Thankfully I led the way across the glacier and Jason was alright with kicking steps,as lifting my leg and kicking was very painful, and i was hoping the ski down wouldn’t be.
The slope got a bit steeper as we passed by some small cliffs and soon came upon a short section of very hard snow,so we down climbed to a good spot, chopped down a foot and put in an ice screw and on went the crampons.
We carried on until we hit the sheet of exposed ice and then found shelter on a flat spot behind a cliff. We peered around looking for a decent way to get around the ice,but it was not looking appealing, especially with skis strapped to our backs.
We decided that we were fine with dropping in from here and on went our skis.
I was surprised when I first tried to drop in as the snow was a bit sticky and I couldn’t even get going on the 45-50 degree slope!! It took a few turns to get my skis sliding good again, but I didn’t want to go too fast down the first bit, as I still had to ski over the short bit of hard pack. The drop in was pretty intimidating too, as there is a short roll that you can’t see over and it looks like you are going to ski off a vertical drop.
I can call what happened next luck or just that I just somehow knew how to thrust my body and skis into the perfect self arrest,but after making a turn I hit a small bump of snow that knocked me off balance and my body turned and I actually started skiing backwards down the slope!! I was only backwards for a second or two, but I somehow managed to twist around, slam my skis into the slope and jam my ice axe in.
If this had of happened just a little bit lower I would’ve started sliding on the hard pack and who knows where I would b right now.
After I got up I caught my breath for a bit and sideslipped my way down the short bit of hard packed snow and onto a flatter spot above a big boulder. After catching my breath even better here,I went for the rest of it.
Once I traversed over a bit and could see that there was a nice long slope below me, I felt a lot more comfortable and enjoyed carving my way down. After we got off the route we still had a long run down and had a blast, first skiing over sastrugi bumps at high speed, then some light corn the rest of the way.
I am going to go back next year and ski the whole thing when there it is all snow as well as the north face.
What a great day!!!
Here is a video of my day(I edited out the spot were I fell,as I want to look good on video ) https://vimeo.com/42210890
  looking down from beside the sheet of ice
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
485 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 4:16 PM
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WOW. Totally impressive!!! Skiing down a hard alpine route.
I once read a TR about skiing down the east face of Mount Victoria N peak, and the north face of Mount Chester. It was a long time ago and I forgot whose website.. But I think you get the skill to do them!!
PS: I gonna start skiing next season. This 15hours slog up Castleguard made me want to learn skiing as soon as possible. |
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 | LeeL
Advanced Member
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 Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2509 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 8:33 PM
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| Damn! Proud route. The first jump turns down a steep face almost always makes my nuts retract with fear into the body cavity |
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canine loving, machete-toting bushwhacking lake seeker, Indiana Jones hat-wearing off-road 4x4 guru
Surrey Hole, BC
Canada
6867 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2012 : 10:07 PM
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Dang, I dont ski anything like this, but glad my retract balls are not entirely uncommon when things get tough in the hills  |
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Kamloops, B.C.
Canada
160 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 06:53 AM
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| retract... I would have to swallow just to breathe... especially after going backwards on that terrain... nicely done. great video as well |
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Calgary
165 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 08:39 AM
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Impressive - thanks for vicarious thrill.
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North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1652 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 08:59 AM
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Awesome.
Re: "(I edited out the spot were I fell,as I want to look good on video)"
I was looking forward to seeing a good ice axe self arrest on skis. Bring it back! |
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981 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 09:25 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Steventy
Awesome.
Re: "(I edited out the spot were I fell,as I want to look good on video)"
I was looking forward to seeing a good ice axe self arrest on skis. Bring it back!
looking at the video,i actually self arrested with my skis and body,once i came to a stop i was able to jam in my axe and still i slid a few more feet down. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
220 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 11:22 AM
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| Does skiing with one pole and then the ice axe in the other hand throw you off at all, or is it something that you can adjust to pretty quickly? |
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| LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2509 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 11:39 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Arcturus
Does skiing with one pole and then the ice axe in the other hand throw you off at all, or is it something that you can adjust to pretty quickly?
Its something you get used to. I usually traverse with an axe if needed for a sketchy section then switch back to poles. If on a youfall youdie section where I have to make jump turns then the turns are made very conservatively as it's pretty hard to arrest with axe on the outside turn and I'd rather have a pole to make sure the turn is made well. nmcan probably has his own take on it. |
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Calgary, AB
52 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 1:54 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by StevenSong
WOW. Totally impressive!!! Skiing down a hard alpine route.
I once read a TR about skiing down the east face of Mount Victoria N peak, and the north face of Mount Chester. It was a long time ago and I forgot whose website.. But I think you get the skill to do them!!
I've seen a few TR's from Victoria, here's a recent one:
http://splitboard.com/talk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13467&sid=30ea3090b380932abc715436e1a2f355 |
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Calgary, AB
52 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 1:56 PM
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Skyladder is a classic descent, although I hear a lot of years the snow may not connect all the way to the bottom of the route.
I hope to ride this one someday. |
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Vancouver, BC
Canada
520 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 4:28 PM
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| Impressive. Well done! |
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981 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2012 : 10:22 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Arcturus
Does skiing with one pole and then the ice axe in the other hand throw you off at all, or is it something that you can adjust to pretty quickly?
this was the first time i skied with an axe and one pole and it didn't seem to throw me off.
Some situations would call for this and sometimes just poles are the way to go,i am still getting good at skiing this kind of stuff,so i can't say what's best for what situation. |
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Edmonton, AB
Canada
220 Posts |
Posted - 05/17/2012 : 09:17 AM
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| It's an interesting and, based on the video, sensible approach. Thanks for the report. |
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the mountain parks, Alberta
Canada
102 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2012 : 1:56 PM
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Nice. A very solid and established crew (Greg Hill) opted out of this line a couple days before you guys hit it (biglines.com). Checked out your videos and those combined with falling on this line...you`re very lucky. Skiers have a way of grossly overestimating their ability levels. Please don`t take offence but the fall would be a good time to reevaluate things. People build their skills for years before even considering those types of lines. ...be careful skiing with that guy in your TR...i'll leave it at that, pretty green but doesn't act like it.
Super solid, and as Lee said `proud` line, and good on ya for trying. Be careful. |
Edited by - skibum101 on 05/19/2012 2:17 PM |
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| LeeL
Advanced Member
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Extreme ski tourin, mountain bikin addict who hikes at least once a year
2509 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2012 : 4:28 PM
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I wasn't on that route and GoPro never does it justice but to me it certainly looked like you fall you die terrain. Solution is simple - do not fall. How to practise this? Ski lots of 55 to 60 degree lines in horrible shitty conditions and learn how to make every turn stick and count. Practise this with lines that are short and don't have exposure. Ski hills don't usually have this kind of terrain but its there. Then when you go out in the backcountry and your line is "only" 50 degrees then you know you can do it and you'll be confident.
None of this impacts on other dangers like bergschrunds, avalanche danger, sluff etc but it helps you address one thing under your control which is your own skill level and ability to ski huge exposure without getting tense.
Not singling you out nmcan. I wish I was there to ski that line. It's just interesting to see someone fall on a don't miss line and survive. Usually all you'll get are body recovery stories and short anecdotes in Accidents in Canadian Mountaineering |
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the mountain parks, Alberta
Canada
102 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2012 : 6:31 PM
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Looking at that skiff of snow over top of the ice where the transition was makes me shudder.
quote:
I can call what happened next luck or just that I just somehow knew how to thrust my body and skis into the perfect self arrest,but after making a turn I hit a small bump of snow that knocked me off balance and my body turned and I actually started skiing backwards down the slope!! I was only backwards for a second or two, but I somehow managed to twist around, slam my skis into the slope and jam my ice axe in
Don't fool yourself...it was absolute luck.
quote:
I once read a TR about skiing down the east face of Mount Victoria N peak, and the north face of Mount Chester. It was a long time ago and I forgot whose website.. But I think you get the skill to do them!!
I disagree and can't jump on the congratulatory enabler bandwagon. These lines are flat out suicide missions without an absolutely solid technical ski ability and solid back country snow evaluation experience.
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Kootenay Bud
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 4:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by LeeL
I wasn't on that route and GoPro never does it justice but to me it certainly looked like you fall you die terrain. Solution is simple - do not fall. How to practise this? Ski lots of 55 to 60 degree lines in horrible shitty conditions and learn how to make every turn stick and count. Practise this with lines that are short and don't have exposure. Ski hills don't usually have this kind of terrain but its there. Then when you go out in the backcountry and your line is "only" 50 degrees then you know you can do it and you'll be confident.
None of this impacts on other dangers like bergschrunds, avalanche danger, sluff etc but it helps you address one thing under your control which is your own skill level and ability to ski huge exposure without getting tense.
Not singling you out nmcan. I wish I was there to ski that line. It's just interesting to see someone fall on a don't miss line and survive. Usually all you'll get are body recovery stories and short anecdotes in Accidents in Canadian Mountaineering
This is the most cogent comment I've ever read on this site. |
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3520 Posts |
Posted - 05/20/2012 : 7:05 PM
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Holy shit, dood, glad you didn't tomahawk down that line. I've been there (not on skis) and for me I'd rate it a don't-fall line.
Good tie in to another thread: your risk tolerance is why higher than mine. Way to get after it though. I would agree that Victoria and Chester are in a different realm terrain-wise. I'd wait until the skill to ski a 55d icy slope without ANY hiccup is there... |
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981 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2012 : 2:51 PM
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yes,falling on the skyladder definitely made me think about getting some more practise before attempting anymore lines like that. i think i'll wait a couple years for chester and victoria steven
I will also say that i don't think it was absolute luck that i stopped myself,it was a blend of both it and quick reflex. Just because something is 45-55 degrees,doesn't actually mean you will certainly die if you fall on it,it depends on how soft the upper layer is and how quickly you can stop yourself....if you can't stop yourself within a few seconds you are probably screwed.
Didn't overestimate my abilities for trying it either,i was plenty nervous and hoping things would go good.
skibum- you know jason?? feel free to message me anything i should know
got some more practise in by skiing down the northface of joffre yesterday!! that was plenty fun and not quite as steep. TR to come!! |
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Skiing down most of the Skyladder
