Short TR

Headed to frazier this morning for some early morning turns. Kyle and Jud started skinning at 5:30, but I forgot my jacket and rushed home in fear of high winds and the cold. My concern turned out to be unfounded. The drive back and forth took only 50 mins, which was not exactly safe – in fact downright dangerous. I caught up to the dudes at the pass before the drop-in to the basin.

We arrived on top of the lines at 10 or so. Jud had not been to frazier before, so he took the central route with a spine variation. Kyle took the rocky to 20 ft drop to exposure to couloir to windpack line. I went after a line I had seen in print before, which required some routefinding.

The snow was a bit heavy from melting the day before, but had not warmed up enough at that time to be of concern for wet slides. Stable otherwise.

To sum it up, Jud had a slight fall at the top of his line but recovered and ripped the rest of it. Kyle tore into his line, but was hampered down below by wind-packed snow. I conservatively dropped my line to ease routefinding, and enjoyed it – sluff, chunks at the bottom, and some exhilarating tight sections. Now that I have felt it out, I hope to really rip it next time!

We made it back to Bozeman at noon, with plenty of time to chill. Sorry for the choppy nature of the TR, but dems da facts.

Early morn alpenglow

Kyle on the outpost

Jud ready to drop

Jud’s somewhere in there on the spines

My line

Kyle’s mandatory drop line in the middle right

I’m sure some better photos will be available as the other guys chime in.