We decided to try the Front Range, planning to test snow conditions in the S Coulior before heading for bigger sheltered north facing lines. As we started to climb the S Couloir, snow conditions were not ideal: a thin rain crust underlain by as much as 9 inches of graupel. Maybe it would be better higher? Nope.
Reaching an spatially variable windslab high in the couloir, we called it, skied down, and reassessed.
A corn tour was settled on. So, we headed for Ptarmigan Pass and the southern gulleys of Peak 4. We walked...
and jumped...
... and eventually dropped into a long corn run towards Rabbit Creek. Alex:
Watching Ken ski is rad: he is technically strong, controlled, and smooth. I need more Ken in my life!
After Peak 4 we threw our skis on our backs and traversed to the top of Peak 3. I did my best to not get dropped by Ken and Alex as they ran up the bootpack.
Not much snow left down there, Ken dropping into Peak 3:
At the bottom the process repeated itself: skis on backs, hike to next peak. Along the way Alex and I made a rule against running in ski boots; Alex sure can walk fast. One last line on Flattop:
I'd love to do this as the full 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Tour; dropping from the summits of Ptarmigan, Peaks 4, 3, and 2, before finishing with Flattop.
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