Lane Peak, Zipper Couloir round 3, May 3, 2013

Looking down the belly of the beast!

Some lines are so good you just have to come back for more, the zipper is one of those.  Steep enough to get your attention and narrow enough to keep it.

L-R, Lovers lane, the zipper, and the fly couloirs

Here is a video of the descent, as well as one from 2013.

On April 29th I set out with Jen (who had been the last two times) and Theresa to nab it again.  A late gate opening at Longmire and difficulty finding a snow bridge got out us out later then I had hoped.  While the new snow was dry (for the time of year), unconsolidated, and generally well bonded, a little bit of solar quickly changed things.  One snowball off a tree caused a point release of slough around 4" deep, which slid around Theresa, covering the skin track I just made 30 seconds prior.  While discussing our route out Jen slipped, weighting her poles strangely and separated her shoulder.  She skied out with a makeshift vest/sling like a champion, but needless to say it was not a good day

THE SNOWBRIDGE!

When slough attacks

Aaaaaand the tour stops here

Never thought I'd hate the sun.  Lovers lane above.

So after the intense warming this week of over 80 degrees in Seattle we had high hopes that the snow that was ready to go already had done it's thing.  Theresa was back in along with her friend Elliot.  The approach was straight forward, I toured straight up to a bridge further up the valley and no serious shenanigans were had touring (unless you count my downhill tele-split turns from the road, free your heel, break your face).  For the record the tele-splitter downhill move had me waiting fro the skiers, BOOYA!

After the creek it's MORE TREES!

I prefer frozen water.

There was evidence of wet slides during the week, but not nearly as much or as destructive as I expected for how hot it had been.  Lovers Lane definitely got narrower though.

A view up Lovers Lane

Theresa and Elliot made it up to the col with no difficulty.  Being stubborn I tried in vain to tour up a narrow section that went well over 35 degrees and had a collapsed section to waterfall.  It ended up with me clinging on to a tree for dear life before boot packing eventually for a whopping 20 feet.  Stupid waterfall ruining my bragging rights.

Up in the col

Upon getting to the top of the zipper I definitely had a pucker moment, this surely couldn't be what I rode last year.  Upon peering down it was definitely the familiar line, but with a much spicier entrance then last year in March.

Too nervous to eat

The drop zone, much narrower and steeper then it appears

There was talk about whether or not to ski it, the entrance was no wider then 1.5 ski lengths, and even though it doesn't show at all in the photo I estimate around 50 degrees.  The snow was soft enough to have good edge hold though.  I decided I was going for it, Theresa thought for a while and decided to go for it, Elliot knew he was capable of the line  but just was not feeling it and decided to ride out the col.  If you're not in the mindset this is the best thing you can do, much better then getting jittery and taking a fall.  

I dropped first, with my axe at the ready just in case it got too icy.  With only skier friends I had to make up for the hundreds of jackasses that side slip every good chute in the sidecountry, I REFUSE to sideslip.  I did have to break down and bust out the awesome 80s jump turns as it was far too narrow to be slashing on snow, but I turned damnit!  Center slide line was a tad icy, but had good hold, newer snow on the sides was a bit gloppy, but there was minimal slough.  Overall good conditions for this time of year.  No trough down the center made the going easier also.  

Once I got below the chockstone I waited for Theresa.  She decided to take a wiser approach to the entry and got in with a series of side steps and ice axe self belay moves.  Once she got through I took the lower section skiers left, the right side I've normally ridden was mostly rocks.  

A view back up the zipper

The apron had new wet snow that was some of the stickiest I've ever seen in my life, glad we didn't set out for a 30 degree line.  At the bottom we stopped at a rock to eat lunch, just as it started to rain.  I ended up touring back out in nothing but hardshells and my underwear due to the heat and constant rain.  I love the northwest!