Front Range - CO

Mt. Parnassus (13,574')

Northeast Face

Another amazing spring day in the alpine. Cody and I decided on Parnassus peak for our Monday adventure. Weather looked clear and warm however with predictions for 30 mph winds with gusts upto 60. These winds would likely keep the exposed aspects of the northeast face from softening up, thus we were hoping to find some shaded more protected areas for our ski down the face. The approach went rather quick and simple with little terrain difficulties to navigate. The bootpack up the face was a tad entertaining given its length and steepness. After a few hours I topped out and waited for cody. The winds completely died down allowing me to enjoy the summit and scrabble towards Bard peak and get some fun shots of the NE face and Cody as he made his way up the face. On the descent we found a small entrance unguarded by the massive cornice that usually forms on Parnassus, however it was bulletproof and above a small rocky band. The entrance can be seen in the pick below (just lookers left of the two cornice mushrooms capping the two large boulders) After the initial entrance the snow became soft and rather deep form the first half of the face. Once down in the exit narrows, it became more of a dust on crust situation, however still rode great. The exit went for over 2 miles all the way to the car on perfect corn.

The entrance to our descent is hiding behind the rocks and left of the cornice cap

a look at the slope angle halfway up the climb

Summit Chilling - entrance just behind my pack