February 29, 2008
Fallen Leap Lake Day
Joe, Toby
Lines aplenty above Fallen Leaf Lake - Twin Camp Chutes on the left, Box Car is the big gully on the right. We skied the main left side Camp Chute.
After a glorious dawn patrol on Red Lake Peak, we skipped out of work (since February 29th is kind of a gimme anyway) and headed towards the Camp Chutes above Fallen Leaf Lake. Fortunately this year the road has been plowed all the way to Stanford Camp. Toby's ability to get us through the locked gate was the final ingredient to make this trip happen. The chutes spilling off of Cathedral Peak towards Fallen Leaf Lake stare us down every time we drive down Elks Club or through Meyers. The time was right to tick them off, so off we went.
View on the way in. We picked the left side Camp Chute because of favorable wintry snow on the north facing side of the couloir. The right side goes a little higher and is a bit spicier, but the snow quality was not so good.
Another big 'ol lake to look at while you're skinning.
Angora. The destination of most Fallen Leaf area skiers. Very worthy indeed.
The left side Camp Chute looms above. Great snow on the visible left wall:
Junipers trees, rock spires, a deep snow pack, a steep line, warm sunny skies and someone else setting the boot pack. What more could you ask for?
Looking back down:
A bit of a runnel, but plenty of room for turns. Look at that right side snow!
Nearing the top at 1900' above the drink. It got a bit skinny.
Not a lot of snow on top for the prairie dog and I.
Views, Views, Views.
(L to R) Angora, Hidden Chute, Fallen Angel, Echo Peak (beyond), Indian Rock, Halls, Mini Halls:
Keith's Dome and his 3 cheeks:
Another worthy line spills off towards Lilly Lake from this point. Maybe a bit too South facing though:
How about some Desolation Row? Check out those craggy looking lines in between us and the Crystal Range. Maybe we should go jump on that action tomorrow....
The Indian Rock / Halls shot. Toby and Kyle had hit it a couple of days ago.
Becoming a regular thing at the top of pretty lines.
Time to go all the way to the drink:
Toby and Buddy squeeze through first:
My camera's lighting settings must've funked up on me. But the turns were cool.
Further down.
My turn to pose in front of the camera on some semi still frozen wintry powduh.
And here comes Buddy:
Toby and Buddy exiting the couloir and slaying the apron:
The No Fun sequence:
Careful, he has a whippet. But he's smiling...
Drain it all the way down to Stanford Camp:
Reflecting back on our workday:
The gate master at work:
Don't even consider this trip unless you have permission from and/or are accompanied by someone who can open the locked gate. Well, you could skin in from the gate, but parking is iffy there too.
I couldn't pass this up....
Zippy preparing to make the most of "Leap Day" on Red Lake Peak in the morning of 2/29/08.
Return to Backcountry Skiing Page