Baldy Yurt Trip - Day 2

The plan for day 2 was to summit Housetop Mountain, but we wanted to be there before the sun melted the slope to much to avoid any wetslides.

 Out of bed about 5:45 am, and skinning by 7:15. Heading east we had some nice views as the sun rose.

To get to Housetop, we first had to cross 1024.

There were a couple sketchy ridgeline decents between 1024 and the start of the climb up Housetop. Not ideal for learning to descend with the splitboard in ski mode.

 

 But we all made it, and after another skin up, we were on top of Housetop Mountain. Where everyone was pumped.

The views were pretty incredible.

Granite canyon, Rendezvous Peak, and the top of the tram in the distance

Grand Teton

 And then we got to ride down, quite a ways down.

Headed all the way down to the left.

Looking back up to where we came from.

  And then it was time to skin back up 1024 and back to the yurt.

Lunch on top of 1024

 Back at the yurt early afternoon. We did a few chores.

Resupplying split firewood.

 Seeing at it was his birthday, Brant decided to hit the booter in his birthday suit.

 And then eat a whole bag of birthday cake flavored oreos.

Another killer sunset to end the day

Baldy Yurt Trip - Day 1

Brant reserved the Baldy backcountry yurt for his birthday. So Monday morning, 5 of us packed up our things and headed into the mountains to find the yurt.

After hiking up a dirt road and then walking across a spillway, we got to the snow and started the skin to the yurt.

 The skin up was about 4 miles. It was hard work with loaded packs, but it was nice to be out in the mountains on a new adventure.

 

 Somewhere around halfway up, we stopped for some lunch and a breather.

After a steep push up to a ridge, I looked over the other side and saw the yurt.

'Home' for the next couple days

Sitting outside the yurt. Amazing

 Some previous yurt guests had built a booter in front of the yurt, so we took some time to enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures shortly after arriving at the yurt.

After getting setup for the evening, we took a quick late afternoon run. 

Then we cooked some dinner, and sat outside the yurt to eat with an incredible view.

And then it was time to melt some more snow and head to bed. We had plans to be up early the next day.

Backcountry Oceans

After a weeks of warm and no snow, around 14" of new snow gave me another chance to hike up Glory. 

The strange cloud cover made us imagine we were looking out off the mountains into the ocean,

 The wave like cornices added to the ocean feel.

And the snow in Big Piney was amazing!

Dawn Patrol

Today I was off work, so me and a couple buddies got up earlier than we would on a work day to go hike up Glory and try to beat the sun. We were successful, and it was pretty amazing.

Headlamps not needed, but helpful in the beginning

Not a full moon, but still bright enough to cast shadows.

Neat colors to the west

Here comes the sun! We beat it!

Got back to the house before 9AM. After relaxing for a couple hours I decided to take the bike out.  Pretty good day!