One not-too-discussed classic descent factor

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March 28, 2009 at 1:48 am #571513
nickstayner
Participant
The Hikes in Bozeman area thread drift got me thinking about this a little.
When I think about what makes a certain backcountry descent “classic”, I usually think about the line itself, be it a face/couloir/bowl/ridge on a peak. Many, many times (at least here in the Greater Yellowstone), the snowboarding ends shortly thereafter and you break into ski mode on the splitboard and ski out the mostly low angle drainages, sidestepping and skinning when necessary.
Which brings me to this: How awesome are those descents that have a long approach that’s steep enough to snowboard the entire length back to the car? I love that! Miles and miles of snowboarding, even if much of it is low angle. Pure gems.
So here’s a short list of a few especially classic lines from the Jackson/Bozeman area that should make any splitboarder smile with the amount of snowboarding involved:
– Anything in the Mt. Blackmore region, Northern Gallatin Range, near Bozeman. Lots of outstanding lines on the East Face/Ridge of Blackmore, the Ribbon… ~5 miles of drainage riding steep enough to make some fun turns the entire way, unstrapping only twice for two short sections
– Ferry Peak, in the underappreciated Snake River Range south of Jackson. Ride a fluted face straight out of Alaska and then it’s ~4 miles of steep, open drainage riding back to the highway. Even a natural halfpipe type feature for the first bit! Hitch back to your vehicle a few miles away. Do not miss if you’re in Jackson and conditions permit.
– East Face of Teewinot and/or the Crooked Thumb Couloir, Grand Teton National Park. Only in spring (after the GTNP road opens) can you do this one back to the car, but 5,000’+ vert on a classic alpine peak says it all!
-and, of course, anything off Mt. Glory, Teton Pass. Preferably going to the west if you’re trying to maximize the time spent hiking-time spent riding ratio. All descents end on the famous WY-22, the Teton Pass highway!
Many more, but those are the best that stick out in my mind. How about some from other necks of the woods?
March 28, 2009 at 2:26 am #616275
SPLITRIPPIN
Participant
Classic lines… that end by a road, or a way back to the lift. Makes me think of Saalbach, Austria….
I’d like to bring some fellow splitters there in the Dec-early Jan months…. That place is full on fun powder mania w/ nobody around, and classic lines abound!
March 28, 2009 at 2:28 am #616276
buckchow
Participant
In my neck of the woods (Wasatch) pretty much every shot meets your criteria.
March 28, 2009 at 9:05 pm #616277
shredhead
Participant
How about Taylor Mtn. on Teton Pass as well!
March 28, 2009 at 11:04 pm #616278
nickstayner
Participant
Here you on the Wasatch! I’d love to spend next season down there.
Here you on Taylor too… there are TONS in the Jackson area, especially in Grand Teton NP after the road opens up. Fun times!
March 28, 2009 at 11:45 pm #616279
split.therapy
Participant
Mt.Oliver gets you pretty dang close. The luge run out Stateline Canyon can be nearly as much fun as a descent down it’s west side shots.
March 29, 2009 at 10:44 am #616280
nedrapier
Participant
The descents in la grave that finish down the valley go straight to the road
couple of miles of mellow pow on the glacier, steepening up as it rolls off into this photo, little chute, abseil, hike, abseil into the main chute you can see the top of, 5,000ft vert to the road on the valley floor.
Pretty darned :thumbsup:
March 29, 2009 at 11:22 pm #616281
prestonf
Participant
Cascades:
most of the good stuff around here requires a hike out, but there are some exceptions.
Mt. Snoqualmie across the street from Alpental. 1400 ft couloirs on the backside with a 3000+ ft run down the phantom slide path back to the car.
Mt. Rainier. Fuhrer Finger from summit to the Nisqually bridge. 10,000 ft. (I haven’t done this.) Paradise Glacier from Anvil Rock to Stevens Canyon road is about 5000 ft and over 3 miles of nice rollers (with a short skin at the base of the glacier; still pretty classic.)
Washington Pass (Hwy 20) road shots rule. Cutthroat mtn, Whistler mtn, Kangaroo ridge, etc.
March 30, 2009 at 12:06 am #616282
nickstayner
Participant
Cool, quite the little collection we’ve got going on.
Ned, those La Grave shots are incredible.
split.therapy, actually never been in the Oliver area. Have to check it out!
Preston, thanks for the PNW split classics!
March 30, 2009 at 12:27 am #616283
BGnight
Participant
Mt. Gilbert: 9000 vertical feet on one slope at a sustained 40 degrees
Tex knows what I’m talkin’ about!
March 31, 2009 at 9:58 pm #616284
nedrapier
Participant
Cheers nick.
While you’re on, there’s a bunch of tours in Chamonix that end in Le Buet. Here’s a pic from nothingmuch’s TR
One of the tours takes you over the Glacier of DEATH :headbang: Starts in the sunny saddle in the pic. carries on for another couple of miles after that.
Most of the season you can ski to the road. Before you get to the road, though, there is a bar. :drinks:
Just over the road, there is the train station and a free ride back to Chamonix. :thumpsup:
April 1, 2009 at 3:19 am #616285
stoudema
Participant
South Sister in the central Oregon cascades…………10,400 ft at the top, down to beers at the car at 5,900 ft :thumpsup:
April 5, 2009 at 1:29 am #616286
dude_reino
Participant
What makes a ‘classic descent’?
The answer is easy: when Sweet Lou says its classic! :bow: :bow: :bow:
April 5, 2009 at 11:41 pm #616287
nickstayner
Participant
Word Luca! What an awesome book.
How ’bout some big, long, fully snowboardable CO descents?
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