Woke early and hit the road by 6:30am. No reason to get there too early since the snow would be frozen. It got cold last night - very close to freezing, so we figured the conditions could be pretty good.
I packed all my gear, trying to remember what all i needed since it has been >1mo since my last tour. I didn't forget anything. Good thing. (I even got to bring an Ice Axe. Rule #1 - whenever it might be possible that your travels require an Ice Axe, bring it. There is little that is more manly than an ice axe.)
We hit the snow at about 8. After looking at the conditions on Hayden Peak and Bald Mountain, we decided to hit Mt. Reid. Good choice...
The first pitch of the day was corning right when we got there. It turned out to be quite good. Here's a good video from below the pass between Bald and Reid: The first thing you see is the buttress of rock that forms the NE face of Reid. Sick.
After skiing this nice piece, we traversed in a westerly direction around Reid. I got in another 500" shot of corn along the way then dialed it in for the climb up Reid. Though we didn't summit - there was no need since there was no contiguous run from the peak - we attained the ridge with 270 degrees of Uinta beauty.
Pretty amazeballs. could see Timp, Hayden, and another long drainage to ?Smith and Moorehouse?
The route up was a challenge. Travels were seamless until about 3/4 of the way up.
about 15-20 yards futher up the hill from the big rock in the middle of the chute was miserable. I got waist deep in rotten snow and flailed getting out. That was exhausting at near 11000ft. Rob employed a crawling technique. I could not and eventually put the skins back on. All in, I say Reid won this fight. I made it to the ridge, but it wasn't pretty.
Ate a little KFC up there. Yum. Then transitioned for the ski down. Here are Rob's turns:
The lower apron (no video) was especially good. But the whole thing was sweet. 38 degrees for about 1000-1100 feet.
Then on home. A nice rolling skin out. Easy and fun. Got a little soft, but nothing to complain about. All in, twas a great day. I wish I could get out there more. The Uinta's are BIG...
Oh yeah...the Deschutes Mirror Pond Ale that awaited in the car was better than it sounds.
