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Ski-Mountaineering Hardest 14er CA

Original Post
Sharkbait · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 15

What is the hardest 14er to ski via easiest route in CA?

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Sharkbait..... hum... I have never entertained that idea, but ill entertain a guess.... Williamson, pretty steep, rocky on all sides... its 4th class.

bring a go-pro so we will know what happened.

luck to you.

Trad Princess · · Not That Into Climbing · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 1,175

Should you be asking for the easiest one, mate?

pcass · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 1

From the summit? i would say starlight.

Ryan Marsters · · Golden, CO · Joined Jan 2011 · Points: 1,431

I was thinking Starlight too, but I haven't seen the backside - thought there were some continuous coulies. The one on the N/E side is fairly technical. So is Split Couloir, but I've heard of people rapping the ice and the top is fairly wide. I noticed on a CA ski blog that they did not include Starlight.

Not sure how close to the summit the N couly on Thunderbolt goes, but that's probably the ski line?

Starlight center, T-bolt right, pic from NE



Starlight from the N. Prominent gullies gullies on W aspects?


Split on R in bony May conditions. We punted to St Jean due to crap ice/rockfall.


(Caveat - I'm not a skier)
kenr · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 16,608
Guy Keesee wrote:Williamson, pretty steep, rocky on all sides... its 4th class.
I've skied off the summit Mt Williamson. There's two routes not much more than 35 degrees, one not much more than 40 degrees. The problem with Williamson is not the technical difficulty of the skiing -- it's the length or vegetation of the approach - (and waiting for a year with adequate snow).

We climbed up the W face easily with crampons (after camping nearby under it the night before). Somebody skied down it (with his dog) the same day. Instead we did our descent starting down to the E, then found an easy gully to the S, then we climbed W over a low ridge to return to our W side camp.

Skiing down N Fork Bairs Creek is usually thought not to be difficult -- but the N Fork Bairs approach is a nasty thrash (which I once tried and abandoned). Going via Shepherds Pass (and also descending the "Super bowl") to the W side is way better in my opinion. If camp high for multiple days, have the option of climbing and skiing some other peaks.

Ken
Sharkbait · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 15

Thanks lads, keep it coming if you can.

Starlight looks sick, but I hear you have no snow this year, is that correct?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northern California
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