The week after Moab, I got a text from Collin saying that we needed to ski the Hopeful Couloir on the coming Saturday, May 5th. He had attempted it the weekend I was in Moab, but got mixed up on some directions and never actually got to the Couloir that cuts down Mt. Hope.
The errors he made the week before would be to our benefit. This time, he knew exactly where to go and was driven for redemption. We made quick work of the approach and climb, and it only took us about five hours to stand 13,933 feet above sea level.
Our elevated stoke levels on the beautiful day and a nice snow climb meant that we were to make quick work of the ski down. Collin was first up the couloir, so he also got first drop. The hours we spent booting up the damn thing earned us about two minutes of steep, stable, and ripe corn skiing for more than 2,000 vertical feet.
We hooted and hollered all the way down, sharing high-fives and reveling in the prime conditions underneath glorious weather. Moments of celebration like this were so few and far between this season; the better ones like this seemed more valuable than ever before.
Collin’s Video from the Day:
Seeing how it was the Cinco de Mayo Holiday, we salivated and walked at a brisk pace for the cervezas I had stashed back at the trail head. It took us half as much time to get down as it did to get up, but I still had to stop to take a picture of the creek we crossed descending.
It was another terrific Saturday with an awesome ski and an awesome ski buddy. I am quickly becoming the ultimate weekend warrior, but with friends like this, that is alright by me.
Good stuff Jon… Getting’ me all teary-eyed man
Collin’s TR from this trip: http://coloradobackcountry.wordpress.com/2012/06/03/hopeful-on-cinco-de-mayo/