7:30 AM start - it wasn't crowded.
North Fooses creek and Peck Peak in sight. |
Once on the crest, the route gets easier and harder.
Lots of wind, great views, large cornices, funky snow. |
Impressive sculptures along every ridge. |
Fortunately and humorously, the trail still held a little snow from a recent storm - a thin white line in a windswept land. |
Great views of Chipeta and Ouray
from the now well-buried trail. |
Nasty snow meant sidestepping and other variations on survival skiing. No smooth telemark turns here. |
A favorite part of the trail on the western side of the crest.
Note fuzzy appearance of grass and snow in high wind. |
The last long climb past Cochetope pass, and the nicest snow along the Crest Trail. |
Removing skins in the shelter of an odd cornice in the middle of the ridge. Finally, downhill and better snow.
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Despite much searching, the trail was not evident in the trees - so we just contoured across the sidehill. |
A big smile at the top of Marshall Pass.
The slow part is over, now to cover the remaining miles. |
Easy downhill skiing on the Marshall Pass Road.
One snowmobile had tracked the recent snow. |
Nice views of the Sangre de Cristos. |
The second and last of two short walks in snow free zones.
The car awaits :-). |
