Lassen Peak

Multiple ski seasons can pass in the blink of an eye it seems, and for as long as I can remember, a “ski season” has been as good as a reference of time as any other. Times are changing for me though. I still want to climb huge peaks and ski down their thin couloirs. I want to put my self in places that test my physical and mental strength. I still want to stand on the knife edge, and know that in a split second, it could all end (but it won’t). However, times are changing. Its a change that I have no control over, its a flow, and I am flowing into the next phase of my life. I am not just a skier, I’m a son, and a partner to Tess, these things will always stand higher on the to-do list than skiing will.

Keep the above in mind now when I mention that the first trip to write about here took place in May 2022. May 2022 seems like an eternity ago to me. I do remember some special moments from this trip to Lassen Peak though. I remember finding the most easy and quiet place to sleep the night before. I had the whole lot to myself, no cell service, and just the sleeping pad in the back on my Subaru. I remember the crisp mountain air, astonished by how much colder it was there than in Reno. As I drifted off to sleep that night, I felt the energy of the world swirling above me. I love these moments. For me they serve as moments for introspection, for reflection, and for accepting whatever is to come with open an open heart.

I woke up the next morning and immediately drove to the parking lot just across from the Devastated Area where I was to meet a bunch of other Dawgs for this ski. The first two people I saw were Jonny and Natalie. Well, first two people I knew, however, the entire parking lot was full of slamming doors. I was damn glad I had slept where I did. I never sleep at the trailhead for this reason. A late night is an early morning for some people, and an early morning can also mean a late night for others, tomato potato, or whatever. Anyway, I was stoked to see some semi-friendly faces. Not too long after that, the rest of the crew arrived, and it was time to start walking up the road, then through the forest, before finally clicking into our skis for skinning.

Jonny and Natalie ended up doing their own thing to start the day, but we ended up all linking later. The main crew that I was with was Hunter, Simon, Connor, and Peter. I was stoked that Peter joined because he is a bauce and while we had met in person, I had never spent a day in the mountains with him. So Peter, if you read this, cheers pal, you held up to the expectation! Stoke level high, skill set even higher.

The first line we would end up going for was a smaller triangular bowl, essentially a little sub peak to the main Lassen Peak. This line is just a little to the lookers left of Lassen main NW face, and for anyone that has stood at the base of the north side, this line is obvious. While it is a sub peak, this was no little chip shot. I forget the elevation that we gained in that that bowl, but I will assume it was about a 2,000vft run back down to the base after all was said and done. It was a great warm up, and I always enjoy to go with this group for this reason.

Looking towards the top of our first line*

After line one, we started climbing again. This time, directly up the traditional route along Lassen N face. This line is skinable for some time, but then leads directly up the booter till you arrive at the top. Its a fun ascent. Classic booter, just steep enough, and it was a blast to do with a slightly larger crew. The snow was strong, and it really felt great. It was the perfect ending to a dismal ski season (snowpack wise).

Peter Throckmorton, Will Scharffenberger, and me ascending Lassen Peak*

We arrived at the top and to my delight, I was greeted with a view I was yet to see from Lassen, California’s Central Valley. The previous time I had skied Lassen was with Mike Scott. That day we just stayed on the North side. This time we climbed up and over. We arrived on the saddle and reconnected with Jonny and Natalie, and we all enjoyed one hell of a fun rip down the south face of Lassen. Another proper line worth a couple thousand vertical feet. Hell yeah! After some snackies and hydration, it was time to climb back up Lassen for our final ascent, this time we would set our sights on the true summit. Finally! I can’t believe it took me so long to summit this volcano!

The tour back up the south face was very pleasant. One thing I love about these trips is gaining the chance to connect with people on a deeper level. In this moment, I was able to connect with Simon deeper than I would over a beer, or any of those typical settings we get ourselves in. Out here in the wild, it is a free and open space. We connected on things like the east coast, family and relationships, and the conversation was as fluid as the strides we were taking up the hill. Perfectly content and connected. Nothing was forced, nothing was stagnant, that’s how life should be. Yet so many times I find myself barricaded by walls, forcing a conversation, getting stuck in a lull within that conversation, and looking for something to make it better.

Eventually we made our way to the summit. What a great moment this always is. It’s that kind of moment where you just have to take it all in for a second. This too is a moment of reflection for me. A chance to think how far I have come. How I have blazed my own path. Not out of spite or resentment, but just flowing with what my heart has always asked for. In these moments, I am so grateful for the self work that has helped me harness my thoughts, and helped me connect what it all means.

Conor Phelan hanging out on Lassen Peak summit*

We sat atop the summit for a bit, mainly laughing. The stoke was high, and the longest descent of the day, our final descent, was right in front of us. It is a line I had skied once before, this time, one year later, but also the third line of the day. It reminded me that I am still getting stronger. Thirty five is still young. All these guys are multiple years younger than me. They will likely gain strength with age too. Eventually this surely drops off, but I have been consistently getting stronger in the mountains since I started at age 23. I think it’s where I belong. I think this is the root of its ease. I feel no resistance in the wild. I feel at home and welcomed. It is impossible to not get better in this environment.

We skied down, hooting and hollering all the way. So fun to watch everyone make turns in front of me. Such a fantastic day. This would be my final ski of the 2022 season, and is still the last time that I have seen many of these people. Yet, that day will keep us connected for years to come.

Our tracks littering the snow cover of our two descents. Left is the first line, right and in the background is the summit of Lassen Peak and our final descent. Behind the Lassen Peak is the South Face which was also delicious*

I finished up that season strong. I had already been running about 50 miles a week to train for RRR 100. Which deserves a post of its own. I am grateful for the strength and enlightenment I have found in the mountains, but mainly, I am grateful for the mountains.

From left to right- Simon Braun, Peter Throckmorton, me (Zac Barbiasz), and Conor Phalen walk the road back to our vehicles after an epic day on Lassen Peak*

——

Run Rabbit Run

Training for the 2023 Run Rabbit Run 100 mile race really started in December 2022. But in all honesty, it may have started in a dream that I had long ago. The dream was so vivid that I could feel my feet hitting the ground and leaving. I was running on a road, which is weird, but the road was route 9 and I was passing my Uncle Tims BBQ truck. This dream was one of the first moments I knew I was a runner. I guess I was a runner before I knew I was a runner. Sure, I ran a little before that, but it wasn’t a piece of my personality. Low and behold, I am typing this blog from Ware, MA. Just recently, the deja-vu from that dream occurred. It was such an obvious moment. It was obvious that I have been on the right path, that I am right where I need to be, and that all of these moments have led me to here. I am now here helping as a caretaker for my father who currently has stage 4 Esophageal cancer. The choices I made, the dreams I had, all led me to here. Its a moment to settle with the good and the bad, and a moment to trust in it all, to trust in your intuition. So that’s what I will do. Continue to give it my best, and to trust in my intuition.

The most ominous cloud I’ve ever seen barrels in as we reach the top of the Gondola*

That is exactly what I did in the 2023 Run Rabbit Run 100.

——

2023 Season

Deep Creek

The 2023 season. Well, it certainly snowed, a lot. Unfortunately, most of my time was tied up with family matters. Not the sitcom either, just actually real life stuff. With that being said, regretfully, skiing took a back seat during one of the deepest winters the Tahoe region (and really all of the west) ever saw.

The season didn’t necessarily kick off with a bang or anything, and it wasn’t until a week or two into December that I felt compelled to check out the backcountry. After a couple storms and a weird early season avalanche cycle, I went out for my first proper tour on December 14th with my buddy Brian Unger. Brian and I go back a few years where we met while working for Patagonia. It was nice to reconnect with him over skiing. Over the last few years he has put in the time to become a professional guide, its been fun to watch his progression.

Large settlement cones were providing assurance of a strengthening snowpack*

We ultimately decided on skiing out of Deep Creek Canyon off of Highway 89 in the Tahoe/Truckee region. I don’t really do a lot of skiing back there but I am familiar with it. I have skied Tinkers down to the American River, and Silver Peak was one of my firsts in he region, but for whatever reason, that’s really been the extent of my skiing off of Highway 89. Regardless, its a great spot that gets a lot of snow, and some of the North facing trees can stay cold and deep well after the storm cycle, especially during the dark days of winter which we were in.

The spicey lines leading up Deep Creek. Tinkers Knob on the right*

We started our ascent and I quickly was reminded that it was my first real go of the season. The tour is even quite mellow and mainly follows a road to the top of the ridge. It was wild how quickly the snow started to stack up. By the time we got to the hut, there was a solid 4-5 feet on the roof. I can’t imagine what it looked like up here in mid-March.. We toured quite a ways along the ridge and observed several medium sized avalanches along NE - E aspects. It was the most avalanche activity I had ever observed in the area. I would have to look back at the reports, but if I remember, it was a situation where the cold days had faceted some early season storms, then we got a heap or two of snow and the early season, faceted snow was now longer supportable on these aspects. Our plan was to ski a north aspect but to keep it in the trees and within a safe slope angle.

We dropped for our first lap and wow, this was the lightest powder I had skied in my three years in the Reno/Tahoe area. Knee deep and blower, these were some good first turns of the season. We snaked our way down the first line, crossing tracks and trying to achieve the classic Aspen 8’s look. This was some lighthearted skiing and it felt like I made the right choice in waiting to call this day numero uno for the season. We skied down about 1,000 vertical and decided heck, let’s stop here and climb back up a little, then continue our way down just west of our first track, but still skiing a north aspect. Brian had recalled some pillows in this area and it certainly seemed like perfect conditions for pillow popping.

This turned out to be a great decision and it was a fabulous line. Quite similar to the first run but a little steeper in some areas, slightly on the brink of being too steep for the avalanche forecast. It’s weird how we still make these decisions even though we know. Granted this slope was only about 100 feet of avalanche exposure, the runout was into dense trees, while we got away with it, I definitely reflected and landed on the conclusion that best practice would have been to avoid the steep run-out. I take pride in mitigating risk, so some would probably think I am exaggerating, but its the way I like to do things so that I keep myself in check when bigger decisions arise.

Avalanche crowns were visible all over the zone from the previous weeks slides*

We finished the second lap with huge smiles on our face and followed our way down deep creek and back out to Highway 89. While I waited quite some time to kick my 2022/2023 ski season off, I must say that day one was very delightful. Better late than never, I’m definitely grateful for this memory and looking forward to partnering with Brian on some trips in the future.

——

Castle Peak, Castle Couloir

Just a couple days after Deep Creek, my best bud in the area, Erik Schulte, partnered up with me for the Castle Couloir. I’ve skied some classics with Erik and he is also one of my best Reno/Tahoe friends. We were originally going to head over to the East Shore to ski the Bear Scratch Col on Herlan Peak along Tahoe’s east shore, but skier traffic to Northstar had Highway 267 locked up like a parking lot so we shifted and decided to just pop around Castle Peak in search of the goods. Preliminary thoughts were that we would ski the North aspect, or the trees along the north ridge that connects to Basin Peak. However, we got touring up the road and thought, “well, boney or not, the Castle Couloir looks in..” After a little deliberation, we decided we would try to give it a go. After all, it is not that steep, the runout is safe, and if we really have to down climb, this won’t be an issue.

We toured our way up to Castle Pass and then started heading up the west ridge till we gained the summit saddle. From here we clicked out of our skies and walked around the rocks until we got back on snow above the Castle Couloir. The snow wasn’t pretty, the sage still popped through, and there was plenty of exposed rock. Nonetheless, we thought it looked good enough to drop. Low and behold, the line did go the whole way, granted, there were a few kinks in the couloir where some side-stepping was necessary, but all-in-all, this was a fun run and a great first little couli for the season! I highly recommend this line if you life in the Tahoe area. It’s so easy to get to, easy to ski, the views are tremendous, we could see out to Lassen on this day, and west to the Central Valley.

Style and grace, Erik Schulte walks along the north ridge of Castle Peak towards the top of the Castle Couloir*

A boney day in the Castle Couloir but still a fun one and a chance to check off a bucket lister*

Taking a quick break to access the Castle Couloir*

Another good adventure with Schulte! More to come for sure.

——

Peavine East Gully

Following the Castle Couloir, I teamed up with Erik again for a Reno Classic, Peavine Peak. Its funny how I moved to Truckee but found myself driving to Reno to ski. Why? Well the damn traffic is so bad in Lake Tahoe on the weekends, that its just easier to head down to Reno and ski lines on Peavine when the peak has enough snow. This outing was Jan 28 and some good storms had rolled through so the coverage on Peavine was fantastic.

Erik and I cruised up the Peavine Road and parked the ole’ Honda Element just off to the side. In classic Reno form, we barely had time to get out of the car before some rough looking dude on a side-by-side pulls up and shouts “ya’ll going to ski that f*cking mountain huh!?” We couldn’t tell if it was a question or a statement, and we certainly held to ourselves in regards to our plan. We just sort of nodded our heads in an unassured way. Next thing out of his mouth was, “well see that hill right there, that’s my mother f*cking property right there..” “Ain’t that cool, I been watching people ski down all week, I love it. Ya’ll are some crazy mother f*ckers.” In disbelief, Erik and I laughed our asses off and let our guard down, sharing a laugh with him. Then, can the “ya’ll smoke grass!?” Once again, we couldn’t tell if it was a question or a statement, and just shook our heads in an unassured way. “Is that a yes” he said.. “Ahh, yeah, yeah,” we answered. He then said, “Well I have like a 100 pounds up there that I grew up in Alaska and I been trying to give this away to ya’ll skiers!” Well shit, good deal we thought. He promised to bring us some back, but low and behold, when we returned…no grass was to be found?? Maybe he expected us to wait?? I don’t know, bummer, but funny story, and classic Reno creepiness.

This tour is pretty straightforward and we reached our line pretty quickly. It does always amaze me how quickly you rise out of the desert on Peavine. What seams like one big giant dump of abandoned cars and burn scars, actually is a pretty rad mountain to ski when the conditions allow. I’ve skied multiple aspects on this peak, and they have all been fun. There is also far more wildlife on Peavine than anywhere in the Sierra, which is quite funny to me. On Peavine you could see a mountain lion, a rattlesnake, hawks, pronghorn antelope, deer, and Id bet there might be one bear somewhere out there on the western side of the peak. The mountain itself is also quite large thus in the it contains many different eco systems from high desert riparian zones to pine and aspen tree forests. Looking to the west and north from the summit you see the dense green forests of California, to the south you’re looking right down the eastern slope of the Sierra, on a clear day looking as far south as the Carson Iceberg Wilderness, and to the east, you are looking at the Nevada desert with its sweeping desert flats, playas, and dust, speckled with sky islands mountains that rise sharply into the desert sky. It’s quite a view and one of the reasons I love skiing Peavine (and skiing the Basin).

We climbed our way up the East Gully and then chose to ski the right gully along the way. Erik was cool with it, and I suggested it because it had seen a bit more sun, all the other stuff looked wind board, the north trees out of the gully looked soft, but I feared some gloppy conditions, so we stuck the sun expose aspect and it turned out to be quite lovely. Plus, I was stoked because I love skiing new lines, I try not to repeat lines, and I had never skied the right gully, just the East (main) Gully.

Erik Schulte and my dog Rez on the approach*

Erik Schulte and Rez entering the East Gully*

We toured all the way up, it was quite steep in parts, and also quite hot! I could have used another bottle of water for sure. Interesting enough, as we got the top, the line opens into more of a bowl. In the bowl, it was clear that a large avalanche had occurred from wind loading. The avalanche had broken along the cornice that had formed and its propogation crown was quite thick and also wide. However, it did not slide too far, but it was still a sight to see, especially for Peavine. We started our descent just to the east of the crown, and skied towards the center of the gully. The snow was great in spots, and then not so great in spots. Pretty standard Peavine mid-season conditions. Yet, we were having a damn blast, and so was Rez. That damn dog loves to ski! I love seeing his tongue hang out of his mouth. Addie was also doing great! She was a a bit slower, but hey, not bad for a 7 year old dog with not a lot of skiing experience. We skied down and worked our way back to the car. I had to carry Addie in a spot or too, she just isn’t as fit for snow as Rez, but she did have a blast.

Avalanche debris below a large crown on Peavine Peak*

Another angle of the crown and the debris while approaching the summit. The wind loading must have been enormous*

Left to right- Rez, Addie, and Erik Schulte taking a rest atop the summit*

Rez chasing Erik down the line while Addie cast her judgements..*

Rez taking a quick snooze while we load up and out*

We made it back to the car without every taking our ski’s off! That’s a good day. Unfortunately, our friend never brought the gift he promised… Oh well, great day anyway!

——

Herlan Peak, Bear Scratch Col

About ten days later I got back out for what would be my last Tahoe line of the season. In between Peavine and this, I had skied Sunrise Bowl off of Highway 80 with Rez. He got a little to rambunctious that day and for the first time ever, he ran into my ski and cut himself. I felt bad, but honestly, he was a psycho that day. Anyone that knows my pup knows the famous Rez psycho mode. Its all fun and games until Rez gets hurt! Hah. Well, luckily on this day were were close to the road, and I had the proper first-aid in my back to dress his room. The skiing was honestly great, it was unfortunate that he got hurt on the first run. We could have done multiple under the California sun. Oh well.

Luckily for us, while waiting for his wound to heal, it snowed a lot more, and Herlan Peak along the east shore was primed up and ready to go again. I have literally been waiting to ski this line for years. Its nothing technical or gnarly, but the view down to Sand Harbor is all-time. Its literally like skiing above the Caribbean. The couloir literally sits above Sand Harbor, and if it were not for the road, you would be able to ski the Bear Scratch Col right down to Lake Tahoe.

This one did not disappoint, and for the most part, I was the only one on the slope! It wasn’t until I was nearly at the summit until I saw another soul, and that didn’t even matter because they were dropping to the north of me, they never even saw my climbing up with Rez. Rez was a savage on this one. While the initial approach is not that steep, the line steepens as you reach the top. We decided to go right up the descent line, well mainly me, since Im the only human in the crew, but I did ask him.. I’m glad we chose this right, I generally like to feel what I am going to ski first, and plus it was a faster ascent.

Beautiful views towards North Lake Tahoe from midway up the Bear Scratch Col*

Clouds moved in and out as we made our ascent*

Stunning views of the east shore looking down towards South Lake Tahoe*

Looking down the lower part of the line*

I will forever cherish the large pine of the Sierra*

Rez was a total beast. Towards the top, the slope exceeds 40 degrees, but this was no problem for Rez. Im always so proud of this guy when we are out skiing. He is so capable, but he also just looks so happy. He and I were definitely meant to be together. We both got to the top of the couloir and then climb our to walk up to the summit of Herlan. Rez was running around like a madman as if we had not just climbed a direct 3,000 vertical feet. That was nothing for him! We took in the views for a minute and I certainly reflected on my life for a minute. I was so, SO grateful that I had been gifted this day. When we started the tour, the view was still socked in, but I had faith in the forecast and my observations, and I believed that the clouds would clear by the time we summited. Sure enough, as we climbed, the clouds cleared more and more and I was awarded the famous Bear Scratch Couloir view. I had for years wanted to ski this and I knew time was running out, I knew that I had to go home. Low and behold, I snuck this one in just one week before I returned to the east coast to assist with my family. The snow turned out to be pretty good too! Powder(ish) up high, transitioning to near corn conditions down low. What a day, one that I am forever grateful for.

Rez in his happy place. I love this dog so much. Thanks for being such a great bud*

Just above the couloir, looking down on Sand Harbor, and cherishing the views before our descent*

The cold Caribbean reminding me of my purpose on this earth*

Sand Harbor from the middle of the line*

Admiring the turquoise through the pine*

A clear view of Herlan Peak and my bucket list line, the “Bear Scratch Couloir”*

——

Mount Greylock, MA- Thunderbolt

Skiing the Thunderbolt trail at Mount Greylock was one of the most fun ski experiences of my life. Seriously! No, it's not a big mountain line or a high alpine experience. It's simply a classic, and rooted in history. The Thunderbolt Trail was created in 1934 and there has never been a chairlift, but yet it's reputation was alluring enough that in the 30's and 40's it attracted Olympic athletes, led some 20 local's to join the 10th Mountain Division, and the run even gained international attention when German propagandists sent their skiers to race Americans in hopes of proving German superiority.

I'm telling you, I parked my Dad's truck, and when I got out, I could feel the energy. In fact, it started even before that, it started when I first put my eyes on Greylock during the ride in. This was my first backcountry ski experience on the east coast and for a while I had been trying to imagine how it would go. How far from home was this line? It had been more than a decade since I had been out to the Berkshires. To me, it was special how adventurous this felt.

My ride started in Ware and then onto other beautiful spots like Amherst and Hadley. Driving Bay Road through that area really is a great ride any time of year, but this time, it was extra special. I crossed over the Connecticut river and into Northampton, then onto Leeds and Williamsburg before popping up to Route 116 to Plainfield and Savoy, finally ending in Adams. Adams was cooler than I had imagined. Along the main street hung Thunderbolt Ski Run flags from the light posts. It felt as if there was a little revival going on in town, and I was all about it. The best part of the ride? The serene beauty and of course, zero traffic!

When I got to my parking spot at the end of Thiel Road, I couldn't get ready fast enough! I was so eager to begin skinning, and not to mention, I was hoping to get up and down before it got dark, which was going to be a close call. It was March 16th, so the sun was starting to stay up later, but still, I began my skin at about 5:15pm. It was go-time! I was basically running with my skis on, full of excitement and hopped up on Yerba Mate. Quickly I was ascending through beautiful Birch forests, and it was easy to find my way since the trail markings are so obvious. The restoration on this trail is amazing and I am very grateful for that! Route finding wasn't really necessary, so this felt more like a SkiMo race. But hey, that's cool too! All I wanted to do was feel the energy of the historic Thunderbolt Trail, get to the top of Greylock for sunset, and have a rippin' time coming down!

The approach to the top of the Thunderbolt*

The total climb I recorded was 2,368ft and I got to the top in about an hour. I felt great on this climb. Low and behold, just as I got to the top, the sun was setting. I had a fantastic view of Western Massachusetts, Southern Vermot, and Eastern New York. The Catskills were looking amazing as the sun set behind them, and I thought to myself, "how the hell have I never been up here!?" It was truly a special moment getting to the top of Greylock.

Almost towards the summit of Mount Greylock*

Looking east towards Adams, MA from the summit of Mount Greylock*

Beautiful sunset with the Catskills seen faintly in the distance beyond the wind mills*

Looking towards the Catskills during an epic Mount Greylock sunset*

After taking a bunch of photos, I started my way down the Thunderbolt, which turned out to be WAY more of a thigh burner than I expected. I could have never imagined the leg strength it would take to negotiate the bumps and steeps. I guess I had just gotten used to the velvet corn of California? Yeah, I had gotten soft, and New England was trying to harden me up!

Adams, MA displaying their skiing heritage*

I returned to the car just before needing my headlamp. Perfect timing, and a perfect trip up and down beautiful Mount Greylock! Total elapsed time with all the photos was 1:51:16, making for a quick but awesome outing. I will likely be back, and I'm not going to lie, I would live near that mountain. It really was that special.

——

Mount Washington, NH- Hillmans Highway

My whole life I have heard about Mount Washington, yet I had only seen its slope from the road. I've heard about the abusive weather, the "worst in the world," the "highest wind speed ever recorded," and the illustrious "Tuckerman Ravine." Anytime I mention I am from the east coast, someone always asks, have you skied Mount Washington? Funny enough, I still haven't technically skied Mount Washington, but this past spring, I did get to ski off of Mount Washington, and after arriving to the crowd at Tuckerman Ravine, I decided to head off to Hillmans Highway instead, where there were only a few people at the time, and to my eyes, the run appeared to be more of a proper chute, even slightly resembling a western couloir.

I tossed in about 10 blankets to make a makeshift bed in my Mom's CRV and finally pulled off on a road at about 8pm after driving about four hours from Ware, Ma. I chose to sleep down the road from the parking lot so that I wouldn't have doors opening and closing in my ears all night. I got a good nights sleep and arrive at the parking lot just passed sunrise. I knew the day was going to be warm so I wanted to get a quick start to avoid rapidly melting snow. Even with the early arrival, I was shocked at how many cars were in the lot! Wow! But still, the energy was high, and the New England accents were cranked up to ten, likely enhanced by a stop or two at Dunkin's along the way! It really did make me smile to witness the difference of east vs west coast. If you ask me, the east coast stoke is WAY higher. It must be because expectations are lower? Either way, it was awesome!

The climb up the base of Hillmans really wasn't that bad. Boy oh boy, that view of Tuck's really is something though! I snapped a few photos when I got there and then moved on Hillmans. Away from the crowds, this felt like a great choice. I skinned up Hillmans for a while before transitioning to booting. I thought maybe I could keep pushing it with the skins on, but it was a good call to transition sooner than later, and a courteous one too since the line is narrow enough the the skin track would span much of the run. Boot boot boot, all the way to the top. The snow was melting very fast along the lookers left booter, and there is a creek under it, so as I got high, I decided to bust out the ice axe and just send it straight up the middle. I was surprised by the pucker factor as I neared the top and had to ascend of a slight convexity. In the moment I definity thought, "Well, this must be why people go that way." However, I truly believe that there isn't a best way for all days, and on this day, I was on the firmest snow, getting nice purchase out of my crampons, and was able to avoid sinking into a creek, or falling up to my waist in melted snow.

My first up-close view of New Hampshire’s high alpine*

Tuckerman’s Ravine from the top of the Sherb*

My first view of Hillmans Highway, the main gully descending from the lower, center ridge*

Two skiers ascend the opposite side of the gully*

Almost out of the main gully. I chose to ascend straight up to the highpoint centered in this photo since the creek was melting out the main boot-pack*

When I reached the top of my line, I considered a walk over to the summit of Mount Washington, but my gut said leave it till next time. I wanted to have a reason to come back again, and when I return, hopefully it will be for the summit, and Tucks, all in one day during the winter months when there is superior coverage. I stayed up for a bit and took some photos, then clicked in an descended what turned out to be a fabulous, and very consistent run. I didn't stop once and just let the legs burn, filling my ego a bit while others climbed up along the edges of the run. There were so many smiles going on, thats probably what I remember most from this run. It was a damn good one, and even the run-out on Sherb was fun too!

Mount Washington summit from the top of Hillmans Highway*

When I finished up, there were probably a 100-200 cars parked!! It was also 75 degrees and the water was ripping down the rivers. It was a perfect day to ski, ending in shorts, pizza in Conway, and 92 degrees by the time I got down to Portsmouth, NH!

From the Sierra to New England- 2022/2023

Colorado 2024

Lurk skiing, Gallatin Peak, Cocaine Chute, Epic Fail, Mt. Rose Frolic, and Peavine