Pikes Peak (14,115)
Route: Y Couloir, near west branch
Distance: 3.5 miles
Vertical: 2,400 feet
Date: May 18, 2025
Time: 6 hours
Partners: Peter, Kyle, and Rachel
Pikes Peak is a bit unusual in there is a paved and plowed road all the
way to the summit. We followed the standard practice of driving to the
top, skiing down and then climbing back up. The conditions were not ideal
on our chosen day and we could not ski the entire route due to a narrow
rocky section with clear ice. We downclimbed about 100 vertical feet and
then skied the rest of the line. We took a different branch on the return,
which avoided much of the ice.
The ski lines on the north face of Pikes Peak. We skied the line labeled
Y-Col Right Variant.
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Kyle and Rachel at the top.
The entire team.
Looking down our chosen entry.
Tom Ready to go.
The first few turns are tricky.
Peter dropping in.
Rachel skiing.
Skiing one at a time.
Uh-oh that does not look skiiable.
Skis off and downclimbing.
Another icy section.
Finally skis back on.
Skiing the rest of the line.
At the bottom.
Looking back up.
Climbing back up.
Taking a break part way up.
Back to the ice falls.
Climbing through the first ice step.
Above the ice falls.
Looking back down.
Remainder of the climb.
Exit from the top.
Finishing.
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