Bringing Skis up Technical Routes for Descents

Trying to combine technical alpine rock routes with ski descents.

For example I've been looking at climbing the Serpentine Arete on Dragontail Peak then skiing the East Slopes. So 5.8 IV alpine rock and then a mellow ski descent.

What I want to know is how to deal with the skis on more technical pitches?

I figure on the low 5th and 4th class pitches just carry them on the back, annoying but straightforward. I think I could probably climb with the skis on some of the more difficult pitches like 5.8, 5.9, but it would certainly be easier to haul them. Except I don't want to drag my skis across a bunch of granite.

Any thoughts or ideas on hauling skis without wrecking them? Is this just a dumb idea?

If you're asking why it's because I'm trying to combine objectives. While I'd like to spend more time in the mountains there's a limit of my available time and money so if I can combine activities it allows me to practice both crafts and save money and make my wife happier.

Wrap them up and haul them.

I would plan on carrying it on your back. hauling is going to trash your gear and suck ass. (unless short pitches of ice then you could consider climb without, then haul. second should climb with)

One thing to help with this is to get light skis/bindings. Cutting down on weight on your back will be very helpful.

I haven't done too much alpine rock with skis on back, but attempted and pulled off a few nice technical lines that involved some pitches of moderate ice in the line, or very low 5th class(maybe 5.4 max) rock.

I have done this quite a bit..have never hauled skis. Just attach one ski each to the side of your pack, lined up with your shoulders.

pureoutside.com/blog/2011/0…

yeah, sounds like fun!

i've done it on routes like mt. baker north ridge, where you can climb in your ski mountaineering boots.

may be a bit of a haul if youve gotta pack your boots too.

why not climb triple couliors in some dynafit boots instead?

if you really wanna climb rock maybe look for climbs that can be accessed by skis rather than a up and over kinda thing. maybe you can find something a pass or two back there so you still get some good descents on the way out. i know in the sierra nevada in the spring this could very possible.

By the time Serpentine is good to climb the skiing will probably not be worth it, and vice versa. If you're rad go ahead and climb/ski triple couliors. If you suck like most of us, Skin up and ski down the standard route in April or May.

Serpentine is super mellow, and doesn't take long. When I climbed the route it took me 7 hours C2C, and I was lost for a good portion of that. Doing it with skis and AT boots on your back would be a terrible time.

Part of the reason for this is some AMGA prerequisites for alpine guiding and ski guiding. I need to ski some glaciers and climb some grade IV's. So there are only specific objectives that fit the criteria. The full idea was:

Head out from the Snow Lakes trailhead because of road closure
-Climb Serpentine on Dragontail, Ski Annapurna col
-Climb N. Ridge of Stuart, ski Sherpa Glacier
-Climb NE Buttress of Colchuck, ski Colchuck Glacier

Lot of ground to cover in a week, trying to double up and climb up ski down, then do a second lap on a technical route is going to really make the trip take a while and seems silly covering the same ground twice. I figure if we can get up the three routes and ski down we can reasonably get that all done in a week. Late April/May seems like the best possibility of being able to do both.

It seems like maybe trying to do both I'll just get both in crappy conditions.

Having a difficult time finding fun grade IV routes that can also be linked up with a good ski descent. Certainly open to suggestions in the WA or Canada.

Trycycle, what can I wrap them in that wouldn't also get destroyed?

Dow, I've climbed easier terrain with skis on each side. When the packs not full they seem to flop around with the tips whacking into things at every transition from less than vertical to vertical. Maybe putting them both on the back of the pack so they sit back more like the link below suggests?

Approach all those objectives from Stuart Lakes/Bridge creek. Worse case you have to ski/hike an extra 4 miles on the road, but with the winter WA has been having chances are it'll be dry by mid April. Either way, that road approach beats the snow creek slog, especially if the farthest you're going is Colchuck Lake.

I imagine the ski objectives aren't that challenging. If you can afford it, buy a used pair of rando race skis. They are 160cm long, a pair with bindings will weigh 1700 grams(under 4 lbs). You can attach them to the pack both on one side, or diagonally and you won't notice them barely at all.
They will be fine for skiing corn snow. Not so great for breakable crust. But if you are just trying to check off objectives and not doing it to enjoy it...

If you must ski on a glacier, I would head up to Burgundy Col. You can ski the silver star glacier after climbing Rebel Yell on Chianti, Clean Break on Juno Tower, or anything else in that zone. If you simply want to combine climbing alpine-ish rock with skiing, I'd do it at the Liberty Bell group as soon as Hwy20 opens.

Serpentine is too long and scrambly to haul. Either climb with boots/skis high on your pack, or not at all (better of the two options). It would be better to climb a snow/ice route in your ski boots, with skis on your back.

For rock/ski combos in that area, Climb Acid Baby or The Valkyrie in early May, but stash skis at the base of the route and then return to them and shred your way back down and across Colchuck Lake. Or return to the base, carry your skis up to the summit of D-tail via the non technical route, and ski back down.

If you want to climb the NR of Stuart then ski the Sherpa, I think it would be better to simply climb (with no skis), descend the sherpa in tennies (soft spring snow), then grab your stashed skis and boots and boot back up and ski. But since even that doesn't sound fun, it doesn't seem like the linkup really flows together. Maybe hire a LEavenworth local to be your ski sherpa, who'll drop your boots/skis/poles on top of Dragontail and the Sherpa Glacier.

I think the ski sherpa sounds like the best plan

I love all the videos of people doing big climbs in Chamonix with skis on their backs. One example: youtube.com/watch?v=jkR8SeC…

Dave

I would also suggest not climbing serpentine with skis and boots on your back...that sounds awful.
It seems like you're going to be skiing glaciers in the Leavy area just for the sake of technicality, but besides maybe the ice cliff on Stuart...they're pretty mellow glaciers. If you want to ski glaciers in WA, you can do infinitely better. Think of it as a vertical foot return on your effort hauling the skis around. Get a buddy and go ski the emmons on rainier, or mt daniels, or mt baker, and then head over to WA pass where you'll have a plethora of grade IVs available (and great non-glacial skiing too, if you don't get there too late). If you want to climb right before you ski, go boot a cooler (or a volcano)! Just my take on it.

Cheers, sounds awesome.

Dave Schultz wrote:I actually laughed when I read the OP. This is a terrible idea. Beyond terrible. Have you ever climbed something funky as hell with skis on your pack?

I've only climbed easy 5th and 4th class, that's why I asked. Everything except skiing with skis sucks I guess! I leave the 9th for a ski guide course in Washington. First time skiing out there so hopefully I'll get to know the area a lot better. Maybe I'll learn some magic tricks for getting up hard routes with skis...

There's a ton of stuff that's not obvious when looking at a map or just flipping thru the Beckey books. Like Blake said it just doesn't flow. I'm trying to force it but maybe I'm just taking the fun out of both.

Lots of good suggestions. Thanks

Shorter skis obviously help.

I've been using 130cm Hagan Tour Extreme skis for many years.

This guy likes them too:

alpineexposures.com/pages/h…