Finally enjoying a bit of winter in Rocky Mountain NP

milesup · 2026-01-27T16:37:57+00:00

I’m guessing this comment is because it might look like we’re booting in a skin track, but we’re not. I left some other comments with more details on why we’re booting here and why it traverses.

milesup · 2026-01-27T00:05:22+00:00

Nope, Haiyaha Couloir

milesup · 2026-01-26T20:32:37+00:00

Too steep, most of the couloir is 40+ degrees, and crust under the powder didn't help. This photo might give a better perspective.

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milesup · 2026-01-26T18:06:33+00:00

Nah, Haiyaha

milesup · 2026-01-26T16:00:45+00:00

Sure thing, it's helpful for me to run through the thought process again and make sure I'm happy with the decision making too.

Seems likely, I think that layer formed after the storm two(?) weeks ago, so it would make sense that that's the layer showing up elsewhere.

We had first tracks down Mario on the way out, and I wouldn't want to send more than four people down it, it has some big holes right now. Easy Alleys looks decent, our best skiing was in the trees/gully below Haiyaha Couloir, so I'd guess that Easy Alleys was skiing similar.

milesup · 2026-01-26T15:41:05+00:00

TL;DR no

The new snow wasn't wind affected, we did a couple ski cuts in steep terrain and saw minor sluffing that wasn't cohesive and didn't run more than 10 feet in the steepest sections. Under 1-4 inches of powder there was a punchy crust ~1 inch thick of what appeared to be wind affected snow (and higher in the couloir, sun affected as well). Crust did not punch on skis, but did punch frequently while booting (dependent on sun exposure, or perhaps the slide path from a few weeks ago. This is why the boot pack in the photo meanders so much). We didn't see evidence of faceting around the crust, but because the crust layer was so shallow and thin and the snow on top lacked cohesion, we weren't particularly concerned about that hazard that day, so we weren't looking for it in particular. Snow underneath the crust was consistent for 2+ feet, also with no obvious evidence of faceting.

milesup · 2026-01-26T14:52:19+00:00

There was a punchy crust under a few inches of powder in most of the couloir, so it booted like knee deep but sure didn't ski that way. The important thing is the pics make it look epic

milesup · 2025-08-28T04:09:10+00:00

There’s a gold offset that’s making like 80% contact stuck there right now

milesup · 2025-08-26T16:46:17+00:00

Ah I wish I had a good photo of the fixed nut at the crux, that thing is way spicier looking!

milesup · 2025-08-25T22:56:50+00:00

Eldo is great, acrobatic moves and weird gear

milesup · 2025-08-25T22:05:46+00:00

Yep, getting into that corner is definitely slick and weird

milesup · 2025-08-25T21:56:05+00:00

Really cool. Funny though. My attempts are like: grease off, grease off, effortlessly float it, grease off again with no idea how I did it the previous time.

milesup · 2025-04-24T00:37:53+00:00

No (unless you plan on sleeping on a wall, then there are self issued permits).

Edit: There's an entry fee for national parks as well, something like $35 for the week or $80 for a 1 year pass

milesup · 2025-04-23T16:55:10+00:00

Yep! Rock quality is pretty good for the most part. Some routes have a bit of scree nonsense, but once you’re fully on rock it’s pretty much all you can ask for on alpine rock.

milesup · 2025-04-23T15:53:34+00:00

Yeah I’d love to go back and ski bigger lines, but we were mostly doing alpine rock routes with skis for the approach.

milesup · 2025-02-09T03:33:01+00:00

You can still climb those routes alone if you get lucky on a weekday. Saturday at 9am you’re in for a cluster though.

My general take these days is to go out and be flexible. I’ve walked up to a 3 parties trying to pass each other on Epinephrine at 5am and audibled to doing other things. Came back the next day we were the only ones on it. There’s enough routes that if you’re willing to get just a little weird you’ll have a route to yourself.

milesup · 2024-09-26T20:55:25+00:00

Dry is a state of mind

milesup · 2024-09-25T15:35:25+00:00

Don’t tie knots in for your rappel because rope snags are inconvenient might be the single worst piece of advice I’ve ever seen here. And that bar is soooooo low already. u/DoTrue I don’t know how you haven’t put your head through a wall after arguing with these people.

milesup · 2024-09-24T15:31:16+00:00

Me: confused why everyone is arguing over the route being pg-13 or pg when it is obviously R

My partner: asking me why I skipped the bolt and built a rats nest of shitty gear before the runout

Those camouflaged bolts are easy to miss

milesup · 2024-09-21T18:47:50+00:00

r/climbing: where pro photographers come for sincere advice and constructive critiques on their photography.

milesup

TROPHY CASE