Little & Big Cottonwood Canyons : Alta to the Bonezone, then Brighton.

Sunday night at work, it just kept dumping. Hoping that the wet snow would cover a few rocks, I made plans with Mark for a dawn patrol mission at Alta.

5:30 am at the mouth of Little Cottonwood.

Booted up and got to the meadow with first light. We agreed that the Gunsight Couloir (top right) looked like the only thing rippable so we headed for the ridge.

Sure enough, the sun started to bake the snow. Good thing our line was still in the shadows.

Gettin there.

Up and up.

Just a few minutes later, we made it between the two big cliffs that mark the entrance of the couloir. Noice views down canyon (west) at Alta’s Mt. Baldy, The Pfeifferhorn, Lighting Ridge, Chipmans, Lone Peak, Thunder Ridge and Coalpit (left to right).

Zoomed Pfeiff to Coalpit.

The mouth.

Baldy Chute on thursday?

Mark checkin out the snow, bout to drop. There was a lot more up high. Other than the heavy wind drifts around a foot deep, there was only 8 inches or so. This is what we call “flavor country.” If you can shred terrain like this, the rest of the season is a breeze.

Regardless, pretty stoked at this point. First line of the season!

Down…

And out.

Lookin back. The upper section was butter but farther down, there was some nice little hidden gems just waiting to take bites outta my base. Perfect way to start the year!

Later on, I met up with Sean, Rob and Jose. We hiked up to the Bonezone off the guard road and came upon a fudgepack. Slid us some rails and got the call from Alex sayin that a few fellas set up this giant pole jam made from the old Millicent Lift. Shredded down guardsman, drove to Brighton and hiked up to the green monsters.

Alex – Method Beanie Launch

Kiki – Nose Tweaker.