smuggs
Active member
set out for some skiing in alta that i have not done, and to get some july turns. skiing the superior butterfly was an idea of mine last season, never executed because i didnt think it would be worth it. well thats a bad way to think. the superior butterfly is pretty amazing because its some of the last distinct snow on the south facing slopes of the wasatch. and it makes a PERFECT butterfly, or a bat.
To get there i hiked directly up mt superiors gut. Fun. A place i have never been aside from skiing down as fast as possible to spend as little time as i possibly could in avalanche terrain. This hike was about spending the most time possible in there. Rivers were flowing all over the mountain, i followed one up right to the base of the butterfly. Pretty awesome
Here is a shot of suicide shoot, little did i know id ski it later in the day.
I geared up at the bottom of the butterfly, i skied each wing, trying to make symetrical turns as to not ruin the majestic beauty of the creature. then to finish i put a track down where the body would be. This took about 2 hours. I put my hiking boots back on and decided that i would traverse the mountain over to suicide shoot which is the skinny band of snow here.....
I navigated over rock, loose rock, snow and made it to suicide shoot. Topped out and skied it. then skied the finishing apron down to the bottom, skied alot of vertical for not going to a peak. Here is a skier in suicide shoot that i took this day. I imagine thats what it looked like when i skied it.
THE TURNS
Then the next days mission was to cross the street and ride the tram to the top of hidden peak at snowbird then hike to baldy. Skiing every month has been a goal of mine for a while and i have skied about 35 consecutive months. mostly around my semi home town.
The day was perfect even though storms were expected.
Shorty joined me in the adventure
LCC looking different than usual when up here but still beautiful
The baldy main chute was rugged, insane suncups, rocks, gun powder, boulders, etc.
The only walking we had to do was traversing the mountain, we didnt loose anymore than 100 vertical doing this. so claiming the full 3000 vertical on the descent.
ONLY IN ALTA
The skiing was thin, but that made it more fun. walked another 3 minutes to the car and violla skiing in july, couldnt have asked for a better day!
To get there i hiked directly up mt superiors gut. Fun. A place i have never been aside from skiing down as fast as possible to spend as little time as i possibly could in avalanche terrain. This hike was about spending the most time possible in there. Rivers were flowing all over the mountain, i followed one up right to the base of the butterfly. Pretty awesome
Here is a shot of suicide shoot, little did i know id ski it later in the day.
I geared up at the bottom of the butterfly, i skied each wing, trying to make symetrical turns as to not ruin the majestic beauty of the creature. then to finish i put a track down where the body would be. This took about 2 hours. I put my hiking boots back on and decided that i would traverse the mountain over to suicide shoot which is the skinny band of snow here.....
I navigated over rock, loose rock, snow and made it to suicide shoot. Topped out and skied it. then skied the finishing apron down to the bottom, skied alot of vertical for not going to a peak. Here is a skier in suicide shoot that i took this day. I imagine thats what it looked like when i skied it.
THE TURNS
Then the next days mission was to cross the street and ride the tram to the top of hidden peak at snowbird then hike to baldy. Skiing every month has been a goal of mine for a while and i have skied about 35 consecutive months. mostly around my semi home town.
The day was perfect even though storms were expected.
Shorty joined me in the adventure
LCC looking different than usual when up here but still beautiful
The baldy main chute was rugged, insane suncups, rocks, gun powder, boulders, etc.
The only walking we had to do was traversing the mountain, we didnt loose anymore than 100 vertical doing this. so claiming the full 3000 vertical on the descent.
ONLY IN ALTA
The skiing was thin, but that made it more fun. walked another 3 minutes to the car and violla skiing in july, couldnt have asked for a better day!
