It’s ski mountaineering season here in the high peaks of Idaho! SVT guide, Joe St.Onge, and a group of intrepid Montanans are just back from 4 days of peak skiing based out of the Pioneer Yurt. While the snow has been rapidly melting this spring, we are still finding good to excellent ski conditions in the alpine, and the Pioneer Yurt is a great place to visit if you want to go alpine! The approach to the Pioneer Yurt is largely snow free at this point (don’t even think about snowmobile access!), but we can drive to the summer trailhead. Once at the Yurt, conditions are a bit bony for another 800′, but there is reliable coverage and good ski conditions in the alpine basins above. It may not last long, so get it while you can! Enjoy the pics!
Ah, in the high country!
Climbing into the Duncan’s Bowl
Stoked to be at 11,000′
Ripping corn in formation
Bob, laying it out
Cranking the peel-away
Bush Hawk, flying
It’s a bit bony getting into the high country from the yurt
Apprentice guides, Dynamite and Snowflake
Mikey, the man
Mark, loving the mountains
Climbing Goat Peak
The Higher You Get…
Mikey on the summit of Goat
The Heart of the Pioneers
Perfect corn on the summit snow fields
yehaw
soft and carvy
spring fun in the alpine
Scotty, stoked
Climbing back to the yurt
Bob, checking out the 3000′ bowl of Duncans
Couldn’t pass this corn slope up on the way back to the yurt
Climbing toward Hyndamn
The ascent of Hyndman in firm conditions
Approaching the summit of Hyndman
The last steps to the summit
Stoked to be on top of the highest Peak in the Pioneers
Skiing the summit snowfields of Hyndman
Cranking turns down the face of Hyndman
Rest break mid-descent
Snowflake coming down the lower crux
Arcing down the Hyndman Basin back to the Yurt
Climbing toward the Dorsal Fin
The crew, in the Throne Room of the Mountain Gods
Climbing the Dorsal Fin Couloir
Steep
Stoked to be getting high
The final steps at the top of the Dorsal Fin Couloir
Mikey
Lunch with a view
Top of Dorsal Fin
Getting ready for the steeps
Oh, yeah
sweet!
Carvable
Mikey cranking
Hop turns on the steeps
After the couloir, comes the apron
Carving the apron
Cold beer after a great ski
making the descent on snow-ribbons off the Peanut back toward the trailhead
Yep, it’s pretty bony down low.
The last few steps to the car
Joe St Onge is the most F’ing AWESOME guide on the planet and a super Dude to hang out with. But he sucks at Fireball Hearts !!! Here’s to the Banquet of Beverages at 12,000 feet !! Can’t wait for our next adventure !!! Never too high
More then enough ski mountaineering fun to get me through a hot summer with a permanent grin.
Your adventures always exceed HIGH expectations. Thanks Joe!
I think you suck at Fireball Hearts on purpose