Andy Sherpa

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Wasatch Chutes: January 4th - 6th, 2015

The inversion is setting in. The snow is melting. There was a wind event. Global warming seems real. Whatever, the chute skiing in the Wasatch is still awesome.

Lake Peak, NE Couloir with Josh Whitney

Josh Whitney is new to the Wasatch but he's getting a good taste of some classics already.

The skies were pretty dramatic as was the load Josh was carrying.

I'd be psyched too if I could climb mountains with 25 pounds on my feet. Once he gets some light gear, he'll crush! Hell, he already does.

Nice and steep rocky entrance.

The wind has affected nearly everything above tree line. Big gear does have its advantages.

Kessler East Couloir with Jason Dorais and Sam Inouye

Sam Inouye has returned from Alaska to try and find winter.

My dorky brother watched the Blizzard of AAHH's and now thinks that googles facing backwards are fashionable.

Charging like Sam is more fashionable.

Sam is the one that introduced me to backcountry skiing. One day we were sitting in class when he asked me if I ski. I said, "Yeah, I have a pass at Alta." He shook his head and told me he'd take me places that would blow my mind. I'll be forever grateful.

Red Baldy NE Couloir/Red Stack Tri Chutes with Teague Holmes, Sam Inouye, and Tom Diegel

Big Teague dropping in

Tom's turn and he's on race gear simply not caring that it was steep and firm.

The rime made the ambiance a little more exciting. Photo by Sam Inouye

Sam skis on DPS Nina 99s. I think he likes the blue top sheets better.

Photo by Sam Inouye

Ascending Red Stack with a view of our previous line from Red Baldy visible.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Cardiff West Facing Lines: January 2, 2015

Old partners, a new partner, and a new line or two kept the crew happy all day.

Nearing the top of the Benson and Hedges Couloir. It was rocky, tracked to hell, and SWEET! As it turns out, it's not too hard to find.

Wild Matt Galland exiting the Benson and Hedges

Nearing the dead end headwall of the Hallway Couloir. Sometimes it just makes sense to skin.

TGR dudes would have pointed em. We held onto a rope and side slipped. The Holy Mole crux is a bit spicy with sugar on slap/rock and a left hand dog leg exit that talked us out of trying to get rad.

Teague Holmes enjoying the chute proper of Holy Mole, which was quite nice.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

To Feel Alive

For anyone living in the Wasatch, this last week has been one of the best in recent memory. Cold, deep, literal over-the-head five percent has made me feel quite alive. We haven't been skiing dream lines or anything even that steep but this was definitely a joyful end to another great year.

The movie, "Steep" is filled with many of my skiing heroes. Stephano de Benedetti, one of the Chamonix greats, has famously quoted,

"But to live so close to the possibility of dying, you understand what is really important and what [is] not. And this makes you a better person. It's probably the highest moment of my life. Because in the perfect moment, I was, or I felt to be, a little superman."

He is talking about pushing the envelope on a first descent so close to the edge that he had a heightened sense of life. While I enjoy pushing my more modest limits at times, I also find that I can be better, do better, and at times, feel like a little superman by doing as much as possible with the inspiring people pictured below.