– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog
  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures

– The Backcountry Ski Touring Blog

  • Avalanches
  • Gear Reviews
    • Ski Reviews
    • Boot Reviews
    • Binding Reviews
    • Snowboard Splitboard
    • Book Reviews
    • Avalanche Beacon Reviews
    • Airbag Backpacks
    • Backcountry Electronics
    • Misc Gear Reviews
  • Podcast
  • Tips & Tricks
    • Ski Touring Basics
    • Boot Fitting
    • Fitness & Health
    • Gear Mods
  • Trip Reports
    • Fourteeners
    • Huts – Cabins – Lodges
    • Denali McKinley
    • 8,000 Meter Skiing
  • Stories
    • History
    • Humor
    • Land Use Issues
    • Evergreen Ski Touring
    • Poetry
  • Resources
    • All Posts Listed
    • 100 Recent Comments
    • Backcountry Skiing & Ski Touring Webcams
    • Ski Weights Comparison
    • Archives of WildSnow.com
    • Authors Page
    • Ski Touring Bindings
      • Trab TR2 Index and FAQ
      • Salomon Guardian & Tracker
      • Naxo Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Silvretta Pure Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Marker F10-12 Duke Baron
      • G3 Onyx Ski Binding FAQ
      • G3 ION Ski Touring Binding
      • Fritschi Backcountry Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Fritschi Diamir Frame Bindings Mount DIY
      • Fritschi Diamir Bindings FAQ
      • Fritschi Tecton FAQ
      • Atomic Salomon Backland MTN
      • Dynafit Tri-Step Binding 2001-2003
      • Naxo randonnee alpine touring AT ski binding FAQ
      • Dynafit Skiing Bindings – Info Index
      • Dynafit Binding Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Review 1
      • Dynafit Beast 16 FAQ Page Two
    • History
      • Ski Touring Binding Museum
      • Trooper Traverse Intro & Index
      • Randonnee Ski Touring “AT” ski gear — What is Hip?
      • Chronology
    • Backcountry Skiing Core Glossary
    • Gear Review Policy & Disclosures
   

Homies On Hayes — The Day Before The Climb

by Jordan White May 6, 2015
written by Jordan White May 6, 2015
Cooking breakfast in the new dome tent from Mountain Hardwear.

Cooking breakfast in the new dome tent from Mountain Hardwear.

It is May 1st and the first time we’ve left our little safe zone consisting of our massive tent and two bomb shelters. It’s been a super clear day at our basecamp for Mount Hayes, Alaska. The sun is doing an excellent job of warming us up as we put on our harnesses. Our down booties are swapped for cold stiff ski boots and puffy pants for shells. Looping a kiwi coil around and a couple butterfly knots in the glacier rope put on the finishing touches and we are off.

The foot or so of soft wintery snow that we landed on yesterday is now replaced with a nice breakable crust on the surface. We crunch our way a half mile or so up the glacier to the toe of our route to inspect the snowpack and get a closer look at our proposed route on Mount Hayes.

We are getting excited about tomorrow. It’s going to be a big climb of about 8,000 vertical feet, camp to camp, but everyone is fit. We will spend a good portion of today dialing in our packing and preparing for a fight the next day or two. The route looks insanely fun and exciting and I think we are ready, but this is the Alaska Range, so who really knows for sure. Mount Hayes will let us know tomorrow!


Rolling out of the tent around 730 am we got a super clear view of Mount Hayes and our proposed route.

Rolling out of the tent around 730 am we got a super clear view of Mount Hayes and our proposed route.

We talked about whether this guy is skiable. General response: not by us.

We talked about whether this guy is skiable. General response: not by us.

Skinning towards the face for a look.

Skinning towards the face for a closer look.

Skiable or not? You decide.

Skiable or not? You decide.

This brings back memories of the Hunter Icefall. No thanks.

This brings back memories of the Mount Hunter icefall. No thanks.

Jordan White

Jordan White is a strong alpinist who finished skiing all 54 Colorado 14,000 foot peaks in 2009. He guides, tends bar, and lives the all-around perfect life in Aspen.

www.elksandbeyond.com
0
Email
previous post
Homies On Hayes Basecamp
next post
Homies on Hayes — Failure And Success

Trip Reports

  • Revisiting a 2011 Trip Report: Adventure in the Pickets — Thread of Ice Ski Descent

    December 9, 2022
  • Feeding the Backcountry Soul on Crete

    August 25, 2022

Totally Deep Podcast

  • Totally Deep Podcast 107: Dialing it Back with Blase Reardon

    January 30, 2023

Tips & Tricks

  • Transition Efficiencies 101 with Tech Binding Heel Units

    January 6, 2023
  • Visualizing the Backcountry as a Splitboarder: Minimizing the Challenges of Movement by Anticipating Terrain

    December 5, 2022
  • TURBOCHARGE YOUR TRAILHEAD BEACON CHECK

    November 15, 2022

Recent Comments

  • Joe on DIY Binding Mount with an ATK Template
  • Kermit on DIY Binding Mount with an ATK Template
  • wtofd on Samaya Ultra35 Pack: A First Look
  • Sam on Julbo’s Montebianco 2 with the Reactiv 1-3 High Contrast lens: A Review


Newsletter Sign-Up

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • About Lou Dawson
  • Authors Page
  • About
  • Contact
  • Copyright & Legal
  • Website Security

@2020 - All Rights Reserved. Designed and Developed by WildSnow


Back To Top

Read alsox

Julbo’s Montebianco 2 with the Reactiv...

February 20, 2023

Questing with the Hyperlite Mountain Gear...

February 20, 2023

Two Rules to Break: No Strangers...

February 20, 2023