3.05.2010

Mighty Mount Timpanogos

It taunts me. The vast majority of my life has been spent in the looming shadow of Utah's mightiest massif. The enormous west face of Timp is over four miles across the ridge, and rises 4,000 feet of exposed skiable terrain from the valley floor. The 11,749 ft summit beckons to every rider interested in big mountain descents (like myself). 

It's gnarly. Timp is one of the most avalanche prone mountains in the lower 48, and as such it's rarely sessioned. Add to the complication that there's no helicopter operations that are permitted to set down on the summit, making your only option the hike, and hike for at long time. One drop on Mount Timpanogos is a full day mission, leaving before the sun comes up, and quite possibly doing your decent near sunset. A trail that takes me 1:45 to reach the saddle in the summer time, will more than likely take 6 in the winter on a split board. But I'm up for the challenge. Andy and I are on the prowl for people who have experience with doing a winter summit on the peak, and plan to do it this season as long as the snow conditions permit.

It will be mine.

1 comment:

Kathy V said...

LOVE LOVE LOVE these shots. I try to take photos of Timp all the time, and they are pathetic. That would be because I have a pathetic camera, and I am a pathetic photographer. I'm not sure I can even call myself a photographer. You have captured what I have failed so many times to do. I'm sure that's a real boost to your ego -- you've exceeded what I can do. :)