Turning 24 in the Sawtooth // January 5th, 2016

Not me, but fellow intern Chris Cullaz turned the page into a new year high in the Sawtooth Mountains this year.  It was our first trip where we had a full day set aside for exploring and skiing and we decided to take a trip up to profile lake.

Alarms went off early in the cold, early morning hours.  Within minutes the stove was crackling and water was boiling for coffee.  After a hearty breakfast of eggs and potatoes, we skinned up and were out the door in the predawn light.

We started the trek up to the alpine not knowing what we would find, but excited to be exploring a new zone.  After 2-3 hours of climbing we crested the ridge above profile lake right as the clouds cleared away to reveal what we had been climbing towards.

Mt. Thompson in the clouds

Mt. Williams stood prominent to our north and Thompson to our south.  We were surrounded by jagged peaks with occasional couloirs descending to the lake.  With eyes on the first major couloir dropping off Thompson to the NW down to profile like, Chris, Ryan and I crossed the lake to get a closer look.  After a thorough snow pit analysis, we decided it was a go and Chris and I started the long bootpack up.  

A long way to the top

Checking in on the radio with the rest of our crew
Photo: Chris Cullaz

After moving through variable windslab and pockets of powder we hit a section that narrowed to 20 feet and steepened to 50 degrees.  Above this section we hit more windslab and steeper 55+ degree bulges.  We decided this was one we would have to come back for.   Turning around is still one of the harder things for me to do.  After spending so much energy and time pushing up, climbing further and putting one foot in front of the other, making a decision to turn around within sight of the top takes more will power than every other step.  But its this decision that will keep me coming back for more and with this thought in mind we turned around, strapped in and waited for our weather window.

Ascending the apron
Photo: Everett Coba