Raspberry
Ridge III
– February 2, 2008
Mountain height:
2350 m
Elevation gain:
646 m
Ascent time:
4:15
Descent time:
2:25
AT practice with Mark.
Another attempt to improve our practically non-existent AT skills. Last year we did an ascent of Raspberry Ridge on skis, however lack of snow made the descent more of a challenge than expected. We had only been on skis once since that ascent, but were hoping more snow would make things easier, even if we were still at the same level of skiing.
After several hours of strenuous trail-breaking, we started up the ascent slope. There was more snow than on last year’s attempt, however, the snow was wind blasted and hard. Within five minutes of starting up, we had given up on trying to skin up the slope and settled for kick-stepping. This allowed us to go straight up instead of switch-backing our way up.
Unfortunately, the good weather forecast didn’t materialize, at least to the west, and yet again we were denied a decent view of the Continental Divide peaks. The wonderful cornice scenery along the ridge made up for that.
After a quick visit to the Lookout, we returned to our skis and prepared for what was bound to be an “interesting” descent. Although the slopes were more thoroughly covered than in our February, 2007 descent, the snow was a much poorer quality and was extremely thin in places. For most of the slope, we ended up skiing across and slightly down the entire slope, stopping, doing a kick turn, and then repeating the process in the other direction. Only near the bottom were we able to negotiate of couple of turns (and pathetic looking turns they were!) The ski out from the bottom of the slope, back to the car was very pleasant and easy.
Not really an improvement from our previous trip up, but very enjoyable nonetheless.
Mark starts up the ascent gully
Same as above
Having difficulty on the hard packed and very thin snow layer
Strapping the skis on the backpack
Up we go
Looking down the ascent gully
Me and a tree
Looking down again
Approaching the ridge
On the ridge
Same as above
Cornices - the best part of a winter or spring ascent of Raspberry Ridge
Cornice probing and blowing snow behind
More blowing snow - why cornices are formed
More ridge
.....and more
Another cornice
Heading back to our skis
Skiing down on a
hard and very thin snowpack; note the decided lack of downward
motion of our tracks - we certainly get full mileage from our AT descents!