Thursdays are my whole days off this month, so every Thursday I’ve been looking for long days out. With less snow in the forecast, Scott and I had planned to go into Hogum fork to look at some big, tall ski lines, but on last Thursday morning the cloud ceiling was low and it was still snowing slightly so we called an audible and opted to explore some new terrain that is rarely visited by skiers.
A ski into the rarely-accessed Mill B North was a treat for a bit, and then we discovered why it’s never skied– tight terrain traps, water falls, brush skiing.
Still, when you’re in a rare spot, why not ski a rare couloir? The Waldo Couloir, which is misnamed the Whipple in the Chuting Gallery and is designated the hardest couloir to find in the Wasatch. I agree, it’s hard to find. Even standing at the bottom, using a GPS, I was skeptical of the brush at the entrance.
The heavy snow got better as we ascended and the top was untracked powder. The weather stayed foggy and moody. The ski was great and then it was back to the bushes. The last mile out to the road was wet, deep, sluggish snow, a bit heinous on the bushwhacking, and then POOF, you’re at the Big Cottonwood road S-curves. Thanks to the gent who let us hitch a ride back downcanyon. The karma does not go unnoticed.
