The Speed Board: Y Couloir

After Skimo Nationals, I kind of lost some motivation to train.  In the battle between me (who was in favor of training) and myself (who was not), I thought that one way to make training a little more interesting would be to do speed runs at some of the more popular lines in the Wasatch.  And because want to promote speed ascents/traverses and the like (and because I'm vain), I thought I would create the "Speed Board."

A couple weeks ago, I made a speed run at the Pfeif, but I lost visibility and bailed on the knife edge ridge leading up to it.  Today, I made a run at the Y Couloir.  I had planned to do some boring intervals at the resort, but Chad convinced me to join him in the Y, AND he offered to get there early to break trail for me!  How could anyone pass that up?

For a solid 2300 feet, I was able to follow a nice booter put in by Chad and a couple other dudes.  After that, Chad and I traded pulls, but it was slower going, especially towards the top where there was a nice bloody-shin crust on top of some bothersome sugar.

From Y Couloir

In 4WD mode -- Whippets and boots churning -- my hands got really cold, which is why I am making this face:

From Y Couloir

Anyway, here are the stats:

1:18:25 from car to top. Trail was broken for a good portion of the way, with some rough trail breaking at the end. I think it could be done in under an hour if there is a good booter in, like there is now. Go for it!

1:38 car to car*. *Paused the stopwatch at the top for a bit of socializing with Chad.

3508 feet climbed, same descended.

Gear: DyNA Boots, Low Techs, Trab World Cups, CAMP pack with avy gear, Montbell Thermawrap, and my own personal trail breaker.

Box Elder 2-10-2011

The plan was to go from hobble creek to Provo Peak, I'm glad we we didn't.  Box Elder, Subway, home for a 1:00 nap.

Adam gaining the summit ridge from the East. Steep and icy.

Adam

TOP!

Andy down to the south west

More Andy, Timp in the background

Adam Okeefe

More of the same, soft all the way to the parking lot.

Andy

Tanner's with Tanner and co. 2-9-2011

15 inches in Tanner made for a pretty good day!

Tanner and his fit wife Allisa

A Ok in the deep heavy up towards the top

Alissa looking down

A Ok found a rock

TB

TAM

Day 63: New Terrain

I found this fashion nightmare high on the very infrequently travelled West Face of Cascade Peak, wandering around in avy terrain above those huge cliffs. Orange and red? ...Atrocious.


Convinced him to return to the safety of Utah Valley.


Made it down ok.

2-7-2011 The Y Couloir

Always good, always close to the road.

The boys head up

Fixed line

J Swain towards the top

More Swain

A. Okeefe down low

2-1-2011 Ruby's

 Ruby's = Cold and fun

Happy to find a ski after it slide over the ice

Terminal Cancer

Billy goating at the top of TC

Triangle Couloir and La Sportiva RT Bindings

training ground for the day

top belay station

me ducking some spindrift

I've started contributing to La Sportiva's Whiteroom, a blog dedicated to backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering.  I just posted a trip report from a recent outing in the Triangle Couloir.  You can check it out here.