More Spring/Summer Snowtales

This June ski trip was with my good friend and fellow physics grad student, Adam Light. The destination was North Star Couloir which streaks off of South Arapaho Peak. I really enjoyed this trip as it was my first experience using crampons and an ice axe. I've been on several steep, very icy slopes with snowshoes or just snowboard boots and was usually scared out of my mind. It's hard to enjoy the climb when you're scouring the snow surface at every step looking for any sort of pit to grip with the tip of your boot. This time, we were scaling icy snow at a 45-degree slope without batting an eye. I gotta get me some of these.

Anyway, on to pictures...

We were considering Skywalker Couloir (the one behind me here), but on account of the 60 degree slope near the top, the deep glissade path down the center, and the disgruntled skiers sitting beside the trail calling it "quite sporty," we decided to head to North Star.
up and over is the way to North Star...
Workin' the new gear...
Over the pass there were some great views to the West. Here's Adam, making good use of the crampons...
The base of North Star Couloir...
Digging in! Getting steeper...
A quick stop for lunch halfway up the route and then we were off...
A nice view up the couloir...
Adam had a really heavy pack and skinny ski boots...
Views on the way down...
Another fine spring ski trip. We should really do this more often.