Day 90, Samurai's Super Tour

I slept in as late as I could today, which was around 7:30. All this ridiculous touring has my clock messed up. Made pancakes and eggs with the Bushnells and then went to meet Bart and Jared at 1:00 at the Bell's Canyon trail head. When they pulled up....SURPRISE! Little brother Sam was in the car too. Sam is just back from Japan where he's been visiting family and canoodling with his lady friend.

By the time we embarked from the White Pine lot, it pretty close to 2 pm and the sun was out in full force. Not a mile from the car, my skins were glopping up with pounds of snow and Inouye bros' were doing the same. I was kicking trees, taking my skins off, hitting them with my poles, all in a futile attempt to clear the snow. Part of the way up the Red Pine drainage, Bart pulled out some wax that we crayoned onto our skins, saving the day.

The Pheif was the first stop.
Bart and Jared charging up the E face.

About this time I realized that I left my keys in Jared's car. My car, parked on Wasatch Blvd, was the supposed to be the return shuttle. I'm retarded. We were saved when we bumped into the prolific Jim Knight of Provo on the summit of the Pheif, and he graciously accepted an offer to drive Jared's car to the Bell's trail head.

It was a beautiful day, blemished only by the whiteout experienced on the summit of the Pheifferhorn. It cleared right after we skied down the SW face, en route to Lightening Ridge.
Jared, trying not to get us lost.

The goal was to gain the ridge and then traverse to the last summit on the right, ski Thunder Bowl, and head out Bell's Canyon down to where presumably both cars would be, provided Mr. Knight didn't steal Jared's Subaru.

While gaining Lightening Ridge, Sam dropped his camera and took off charging after it on foot. He's the little dot near the bottom of the picture.


A look back at the Pheif.

To the South

To the North

We were racing the sun at this point. Still feeling pretty good though. I had had two Hammergels, a can of Coke, and a Probar that Jared donated. Sufficient to get me though knowing McDonald's was on the horizon.

I think Sam was pretty happy to be heading down for good. He's been at sea level for two weeks and is on gear that's twice as heavy as everyone else. Good job Chino.

Thunder Bowl is full of great lines. A future tour should start in Coalpit #4, hit a few lines in Thunder Bowl, and then exit out the Sliver to Hogum. Too bad I start school again on Monday.

Sam heading home.

The last mile out Bell's was on dirt, but the cars were there. 10 more days to hit my goal of 100 and I'm still pretty psyched on the Wasatch right now.