# Mt Bierstadt in a whiteout



## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

*Mt Bierstadt, 14,060 feet, may 17th 2015*

So, another attempt to round up some partners for another 14er ascent/descent was unsuccessful... we had been getting lots of snow up high and it's been raining here forever. I wanted to do another 14er this spring via splitboard and I had a lot of time constraints this weekend, so needed to choose one "close by" and one that would not (or so I thought) take too long. Mt Bierstadt was the perfect choice since it is so rocky most of the season and is rarely in shape to ride, but it was now. This mountain is rated D3/R on the ski mountaineering difficulty/risk scale, so it's no Mt Everest, for sure... 

I can’t remember exactly when I got to the winter trailhead (maybe sometime after 7:00 AM, but it was snowing. I made a mistake here in leaving my ski crampons in the car. Also, I didn’t eat enough for breakfast and this came back to haunt me at about 13,000 feet. But at this time, I didn’t realize I made these mistakes. 

the road beyond the winter closure gate









So it started with hiking up a slightly snow covered road with the board on the pack. Eventually you get to a switchback where you leave the road and put on the split skis and thrash through the woods for a mile or two ?? 

leaving the trees and getting into the meadow above timberline









I eventually got to timberline and it was quite windy, but the snow was firm enough to support my weight.. The next drama was crossing a wetland where the ice broke on me and I am in water (splitboard with skins totally submerged) almost above the top of my boots. Getting out of that was a pain, but I managed. I had to scrape the snow off the board that was clumping on due to it being soaked. 

a very rare moment where the clouds parted for a minute or so allows me to at least start choosing a route









Ascending the peak was an exercise in trusting the GPS, since it was impossible to see most of the time. There was a cornice and large drop to climber’s left that would have been really bad to fall off of. There were a few other climbers and one skier I saw here and there. I was beginning to realize that I should have taken the ski crampons at this point. I was also starting to bonk. It was harder than I thought to deal with the altitude this day and it was a struggle to gain the summit ridge. Up top, there was another cornice dropping 1500 feet on climber’s right. It was a relief to gain the summit, as I was exhausted from not eating enough beforehand. My hands were going numb just wearing the light gloves I started with and it was time to put on my mid-winter clothes. 

summit view (complete with finger in the way) where the heck do I go down?









A few pictures and transitioning to snowboard mode and I was ready to start the descent, but was worried about choosing a line. I didn’t get a good sense of the mountain on the climb since I could not see and I sure couldn’t see any better now. 

another rare short break in the clouds allows a view down the mountain









I started slowly, picking my way through rocks and avoiding the 1500’ drop on rider’s left (as you can see from the vid). Eventually it occurred to me to hold my GPS so I could stay somewhat close to my ascent path and that way, I knew I would not get too far off-route.

looking down the ridge, with a skier coming up..









It was very weird riding without being able to see, as I could not see distinguish the snow surface from the sky and I had no idea how fast I was going. The vid isn’t great, but it gives an idea of the long length of the descent and the visibility limitations..

another short view window allows me to see to the east for a few seconds









I had to keep my speed up to get through the willows at the bottom and was able to avoid the spot where I fell into the water on the way up. 

during the transition back to tour mode, I looked back at the mountain, and it was pretty clear !! If I would have waited 15 minutes at the top, I could have actually seen where I was going.. DAMMIT !!!

it is momentarily clear









After riding and losing all my speed, I had to transition back to tour mode and ski out (it took maybe another 45 minutes or so?). All in all it was about an 8 mile round trip and took about 5 hours.


not a very good vid, but it gives an idea of conditions, and length, etc..


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

fuck bro, be careful!


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

you are making poor decisions.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

what would you have done?

Edit: if you are referring to avy conditions, that's the main reason I chose this specific mountain..


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

deagol said:


> what would you have done?
> 
> Edit: if you are referring to avy conditions, that's the main reason I chose this specific mountain..


for starters i wouldn't be going up these mountains alone with what i think (perhaps i'm wrong) your experience level is. 

poking around for your entry at the top of a mt like that in flat light like that is a recipe for death.

find a group of friends who actually want to go - because they already do. learn from them. go with a partner at least. 

its pretty clear to me that right now you're climbing with alot of ego. 

you don't need to make it to the top, you don't need to take pictures and video of everything - or anything, you need to learn to turn around and go home when it's complete shit and you have no idea what you're doing.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

ShredLife said:


> for starters i wouldn't be going up these mountains alone with what i think (perhaps i'm wrong) your experience level is.
> 
> poking around for your entry at the top of a mt like that in flat light like that is a recipe for death.
> 
> ...


If nothing else your wife will appreciate this.

Also bonking in the winter alone just sounds shitty. Its shitty when the sun is shining and I got dogs and a pardner.

At least things worked out.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

I have been doing backcountry snow sports since my college days in the 1990's. I surrounded myself at that time with people who were mentors with decades worth of mountain experience. I have been going out with Killclimbz (among others) all winter. I am new this season to splitboarding, but not backcountry snowboarding. I tried to get partners but no one’s schedules allowed it, so it wasn’t my first choice to go solo, but as you can probably see in the vid, there were several people on the mountain (solo and groups). You end up tag-teaming with people on popular peaks like this. I was passed by a faster skier (who was also solo) on the ascent and talked to him for quite a while, along with the snowshoer you see low down on the mountain. There were several others. Everyone watches out for one another up there. My intent is to share this type of experience with those who see value in it. For reference, lots of people go out solo to peaks with low risk.. So I guess I am pretty surprised you would draw all these conclusions from this. I studied the route before heading up which is how I was able to choose a safe and reasonable ascent route and to follow it on the way down. The visibility usually isn’t like this. However, to do anything of this nature, one cannot eliminate all risk. To think that you can is to deceive yourself. There have been times when I have turned around from summits (or other goals) when safety was a concern. So I can maybe see why one might draw a conclusion that it is only ego driving a climber on. If that is true, then I guess everyone else who summited yesterday (including the 60 year old snowshoer I talked to- he is the one I waived to near the bottom of the run- is an ego maniac). I counted at least 6 people who summited before me this days and another 5-6 on their way up while I was coming down. Having said all this, I can still see why some people would look at it the way you have… but that’s not the whole story. So, yeah the top ridge was a bit sketchy, but that's why I rode it so very slow and conservatively. The bonking part did suck- all the food I brought lessened the effects, but it wasn't enough.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

fair enough - you have more experience than i thought... doesn't change much tho.

i have a real problem with today's culture of look at me look at me. i should probably stop clicking "trip reports" because to me they pretty much all look like an ego stroke. sometimes i take a lot of pictures when i'm out too - i just pretty much never share them with strangers on the internet. seems weird.

so - apologies, i probably jumped the gun maybe a little... i'll never understand why so many people want to share so much of their personal lives online.

the mountains and rivers are as spiritual as it gets for me.. its too pure to share with other people on the internet. they'll never understand how it feels to me.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

ShredLife said:


> fair enough - you have more experience than i thought... doesn't change much tho.
> 
> i have a real problem with today's culture of look at me look at me. i should probably stop clicking "trip reports" because to me they pretty much all look like an ego stroke. sometimes i take a lot of pictures when i'm out too - i just pretty much never share them with strangers on the internet. seems weird.
> 
> ...


Thanks, and I do relate. I have often thought the same thing about the trip reports. It's one reason I don't post "selfie" pics and stuff like that. I have had to come to a sort of rationalization with the whole thing: I do canyoneering which is rife with "look at me" trip reports and I never post (one reason is to protect the fragile environments). I hope you can see that I try to make it as non-personal as I can (perhaps I could do better?). One thing that motivated this is the talk that the season is over... just wanted to show for some reason that it isn't.. I also never post MT biking trip reports like many do on the web. 

I actually have mixed feelings on the whole thing, but I have sort of adapted to the new reality while still not (I hope) going overboard. But I relate to your feelings and I am still not sure if it's the right thing to do. The thing is, though: the word is already out. 

There are a few people on this site who I have met who seem to genuinely get interested in these things, so that's why I do it.. I actually don't want any "personal attention". About the trip yesterday: everything is relative: it was "crazy" in one way, if you know what I mean, but no where near 'tempting death". Thanks for you feedback, seriously..

Edit: I am with you about the mountains, always have been. One other thing that sometimes comes close is snorkeling over healthy tropical coral reefs.. spiritual.


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## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

As soon as I saw the weather I would have turned around.

I'm glad you got down safely and everything worked out.


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

deagol said:


> Thanks, and I do relate. I have often thought the same thing about the trip reports. It's one reason I don't post "selfie" pics and stuff like that. I have had to come to a sort of rationalization with the whole thing: I do canyoneering which is rife with "look at me" trip reports and I never post (one reason is to protect the fragile environments). I hope you can see that I try to make it as non-personal as I can (perhaps I could do better?). One thing that motivated this is the talk that the season is over... just wanted to show for some reason that it isn't.. I also never post MT biking trip reports like many do on the web.
> 
> I actually have mixed feelings on the whole thing, but I have sort of adapted to the new reality while still not (I hope) going overboard. But I relate to your feelings and I am still not sure if it's the right thing to do. The thing is, though: the word is already out.
> 
> There are a few people on this site who I have met who seem to genuinely get interested in these things, so that's why I do it.. I actually don't want any "personal attention". About the trip yesterday: everything is relative: it was "crazy" in one way, if you know what I mean, but no where near 'tempting death". Thanks for you feedback, seriously..


it's all good, its my issue more than anything. i am a curmudgeon tho.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

binarypie said:


> As soon as I saw the weather I would have turned around.
> 
> I'm glad you got down safely and everything worked out.


Thanks a lot. I went back and re-read my trip report and I think (now with hindsight) I could have done a better job. This may sound funny, but the top ridge where there was a large cornice on the left isn't the spot where I could not truly see where I was going. I could see the edge and was VERY focused on not going too close (also, cornices go back further from the edge that they appear). The section where it was all just white and I couldn't make anything out was much lower down in a huge wide open bowl that wasn't too steep. This would have been awesome if I could have seen. It wasn't the dangerous part of the route, just wide open white... 

There was a bit of me that really did not want to turn back, but at the same time, I knew I could make it.. would just take me longer than I originally thought. It's awesome to have good partners and they are the best part of the experience. Unfortunately, I could not round up anyone this day.

I plan on doing some more peaks in June after I get back.....
I can see that there is no need to post TR's but am wondering if I should or not. I can see arguments both ways..


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

deagol said:


> I can see that there is no need to post TR's but am wondering if I should or not. I can see arguments both ways..


ahh dude - don't alter your actions because of me... i'm just a dick.

fwiw i'd prefer these climbs in the dead of winter instead of spring - the weather is usually more stable.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

ShredLife said:


> ahh dude - don't alter your actions because of me... i'm just a dick.
> 
> fwiw i'd prefer these climbs in the dead of winter instead of spring - the weather is usually more stable.


Haha, that could be true.. But, alternatively, the SNOW is usually more stable in Spring. This mountain in particular, is almost never ridable in winter, only an abnormal solid dump covers up the rocks..

Coincidentally: I found a trip report posted by a guy I have never met on a different website where he did this exact mountain on Saturday instead of Sunday and it was totally clear and sunny.. dammit !!!


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## Aztrailerhawk (May 4, 2014)

*Definitely put up your posts.*

"I can see that there is no need to post TR's but am wondering if I should or not. I can see arguments both ways.."

I like the pictures, like the video, all of it. That part about ego or whatever, not from you. And I lurk on here quite a bit. 

I'm a snowboard newbie, but my two cents: Never go alone. Two is a minimum, three is better. If someone goes down, it is nice to have one to stay with whoever is wrecked, and one person to go for help. I have hauled out someone hurt, and also had to guide in help. Would hate to try it alone, would really hate to leave a friend down and alone to go get help.

But dude, keep putting up the posts.


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## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

deagol said:


> Thanks a lot. I went back and re-read my trip report and I think (now with hindsight) I could have done a better job. This may sound funny, but the top ridge where there was a large cornice on the left isn't the spot where I could not truly see where I was going. I could see the edge and was VERY focused on not going too close (also, cornices go back further from the edge that they appear). The section where it was all just white and I couldn't make anything out was much lower down in a huge wide open bowl that wasn't too steep. This would have been awesome if I could have seen. It wasn't the dangerous part of the route, just wide open white...
> 
> There was a bit of me that really did not want to turn back, but at the same time, I knew I could make it.. would just take me longer than I originally thought. It's awesome to have good partners and they are the best part of the experience. Unfortunately, I could not round up anyone this day.
> 
> ...


I had a bad experience a couple years ago where as we reached the summit things went from sun and pow turns to fog, high winds, and boilerplate. It wasn't very fun and looking back was actually quite dangerous. Our group think let us get to the top but as soon as we were up there we knew we had made a poor choice.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

Aztrailerhawk said:


> .....
> 
> But dude, keep putting up the posts.



Thanks, I appreciate it.. 
It has been surprisingly hard to get others to come along ever since Splitfest, ..... 

I'll be out of state till June, but hope to get out some more and will maybe have a report or two to add then.. 






binarypie said:


> I had a bad experience a couple years ago where as we reached the summit things went from sun and pow turns to fog, high winds, and boilerplate. It wasn't very fun and looking back was actually quite dangerous. Our group think let us get to the top but as soon as we were up there we knew we had made a poor choice.


That would suck. If it was boilerplate, I probably would have walked down (with boot crampons) instead of trying to ride, especially in low visibility. The snow for my descents wasn't too bad: a bit of crust, some very thin powder, some "chalk" snow, etc.. I knew I was in very forgiving terrain on the main face (once I got off that ridge and away from the boulders). I also knew not to go too far to rider's right where you can see a much steeper slope. 


The snowshoeing guy I mentioned I talked to up there also posted a trip report on another website. He climbs the mountain every year on his birthday. Turns out he was 67 years old, not 60 !!

He has climbed the mountain every month of the year. This is a mountain that I have seen from a distance many times, but never climbed before, but chose for it's relatively safe terrain (if you stay on the standard route). I went back and looked at the standard route on a map and it looks like I was pretty darn close to it.. 

Here is a slope shaded map of the approx. route (I might check it against my actual GPS track to see how close I stuck to it, but I think I was very close).. This is something I had studied prior to heading up and was able to stick to even with very poor visibility. It avoids anything steep and steers clear of the cliffs. Hopefully it puts the whole thing in context.. The ridge thread a narrow line between the rocks and the drop, but if you just take it (very) slow and stay in control, it's totally doable.

edit: I noticed a minor error in my description- the lake at the bottom of the cornice was "frozen Lake" not "Abyss Lake"


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Thanks for posting. It's good to read the detail, see the vid and then get peoples' reactions.

It makes me think about how I'd react in similar situations.

If everyone just posted blue bird selfie stick videos on a busy Saturday then it would be damn boring.


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## Big Foot (Jan 15, 2013)

I wouldn't let negative replies keep you from posting trip reports. I enjoy reading them. I've done Bierstadt twice in the summer. It looks a lot different covered in snow.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

binarypie said:


> As soon as I saw the weather I would have turned around.


I haven't been there and haven't seen the conditions, but from the pics, I guess I'd be in this boat. 
49% of days we don't go out is due to avy danger, yes, but also 49% due to bad weather. Flat light in high alpine _is_ bad weather in my books. Not having trees which help with orientation, I know how quickly I loose orientation in a whiteout - within meters. Our mountains are just too rough for this, too many pitfalls. 

I just had a tiny glimpse at your mtns... but renember espicially, how different they look... less rocky cliffy, more "rounded" - so I'm sure you were able to prepared a save route without drops n cliffs. But still... I'd have a very bad gut feeling in such weather conditions :dunno:

As for the share or not... hay gustos para todo . Do as _you_ like. Everyone has different opinions, reasons, motives. Ha, most mountaineering ppl I know would judge it as a sacrilege to disturb the pure spiritual experience in the mountains with the noise of motors and look down on everyone using a chopper - or snowmobile(! ). 

I'm sure you'll chew, analyze, and digest any comment - positive or negative - and take the things out which will help on your way. 

Stay stoked! And stay save


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I didn't see or read anything that had a "Lookit Me" vibe to it. I agree with Shred in that I am flumoxed by the number of people using SM to put every insignificant detail of their lives on public display! :dunno: 

However, on this forum I feel more of a sense of sharing among friends rather than one of spilling my guts to complete strangers. I am aware that this is, to some degree a "false" sense. But having after being here long enough to get a sense about certain ppl,..! Having met and ridden with a few members, as well as corresponding at length, both publicly and in private with others. I believe that it is a reasonabely valid feeling of familiarity, friendship and comradery. (_Even with a few of those members who can't stand me and with whom I am not particularly fond of!!_)  :laugh:

As for the trip reports, the comments about the OP making mistakes or running risks due to ego? I am reminded of a couple of post when I was new to the forum that described following someone elses tracks in unfamiliar terrain and those ppl finding themselves in a world of shit!! Someone even posted a vid of the skier sailing right of a cliff doing just that!!! 

I remeber vividly thinking,.. "OMG,..!!! That sounds EXACTLY like something I might do because of my inexperience!!! I burned that into my memory so as to not make the same mistake myself, should I ever be in a similar situation. I think it's great when someone admits their mistakes and shares them with others to inform!!

As for the whole ego thing? The only vid and trip posts I've read that come across as "Hey everyone,..!! Lookit Me! Have been from first time posters looking to impress someone here! (...those I can appreciate for their entertainment value!!) 

...thus endeth the sermon! :laugh:

:hairy:


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## killclimbz (Aug 10, 2007)

Nice work deagol. 

As far as it being a bad decision. He's a pretty fit guy. Well above average. The only thing that would have made me turn around is the weather. I hate being above treeline in a storm. That said, clouds where in and out all day. I was playing on the pass and it wasn't unreasonable to go above treeline if you were patient. 

Doing lines like Bierstadt in winter is pretty much a no go, compared to what you experience shred. Avalanche danger doesn't really get all that predictable until spring around here. That said, it is become very winter like around here now. It is dumping.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks Killclimbz.. it has been a fun winter, but now it seems things are over due to warm temps..
I am bummed I took a non-snow vacation to Utah this past week and probably missed out on the last of the ski(snowboard)-mountaineering season. If I would have done the vacation a week or so later, there would have been one or two good descents here during that time and the vacation destinations probably would have been less crowded when I finally made it out there as well. Oh well.. it has actually turned out to be a great season. 

I just found this video that shows someone (pardon the skier) skiing the same line where you can actually see the route. As you can tell from the vid, it isn't exactly a death-defying route.. (that's why I chose it), but actually looks quite fun if you can see where you are going. It gets skied/boarded solo all the time and no one (to my knowledge) has ever died up there.


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## kalev (Dec 17, 2013)

As someone who is fairly new to back-country travel in the winter, I find these types of reports to be helpful. I appreciate being able to learn from other's experiences (positive and negative). 

Glad you made it out!


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## Big Foot (Jan 15, 2013)

deagol said:


> Thanks Killclimbz.. it has been a fun winter, but now it seems things are over due to warm temps..
> I am bummed I took a non-snow vacation to Utah this past week and probably missed out on the last of the ski(snowboard)-mountaineering season. If I would have done the vacation a week or so later, there would have been one or two good descents here during that time and the vacation destinations probably would have been less crowded when I finally made it out there as well. Oh well.. it has actually turned out to be a great season.
> 
> I just found this video that shows someone (pardon the skier) skiing the same line where you can actually see the route. As you can tell from the vid, it isn't exactly a death-defying route.. (that's why I chose it), but actually looks quite fun if you can see where you are going. It gets skied/boarded solo all the time and no one (to my knowledge) has ever died up there.


Sorry to go off-topic, but skiing looks even lamer from a first person perspective.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

I actually don't really get into the skiing vs. snowboarding debate anymore (used to when snowboarding was much younger and we got flak from skiers at the resort)... but things have mellowed over the years. Sometimes a skier will end up being your partner in these places and mutual safety should trump the little rivalries that pop up from time to time. 

having said that, the guy who posted that ski video has actually ripped on snowboarding in a really obnoxious unprovoked way previously, so I was already annoyed with him... but the visibility he had very recently up there was awesome and it illustrates the route. 

To your point: I would have taken much larger faster turns than he did out on the open slope (with this visibility)- I do agree that skiers take lots of shorter turns than we do and I love making real snowboard turns that don't waste momentum when the terrain allows it. 

It is a bummer that the temps are not getting cold enough at night at those elevations anymore to stabilize the snowpack, otherwise I would have had an epic weekend.. 

I don't have much hope of things getting better, so the season may be over.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

The skier vs snowboard is mostly skier perpetuated imo, and it's an ethos perpetuated by ignorance. 

90% of my riding partners were skiers this year, we both regularly comment to each other "man that looks fun, I'd try that........but no.....no fucking way....looks fun though, shit!"


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

Don't want to add to the side track of your thread but the skiers at Steamboat are rich self entitled pricks. They have a more pronounced attitude and vocal disgust for snowboarders than I've noticed at WP, Abasin, Keystone and Breck. I've met some pretty damn cool skiers though. My main problem with them is their pretentious attitude and how they destroy good snow and turn it into tight turned bumps. Why would you hop side to side in good pow rather than make long sweeping turns and just let it flow???


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Mystery2many said:


> Don't want to add to the side track of your thread but the skiers at Steamboat are rich self entitled pricks. They have a more pronounced attitude and vocal disgust for snowboarders than I've noticed at WP, Abasin, Keystone and Breck. I've met some pretty damn cool skiers though. My main problem with them is their pretentious attitude and how they destroy good snow and turn it into tight turned bumps. *Why would you hop side to side in good pow rather than make long sweeping turns and just let it flow???*


bad parenting


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

alright, snowboarders to the rescue !!

Here is a vid of a snowboard descent of the same mountain !!
These guys did it the day before I did and had excellent conditions including visibility :facepalm1:

I don't know them, but damn if I could have hooked up with them, it would have been so much better. They actually took a different route for the bottom portion of the descent (went right at a ridge about half way down into the steeper terrain at approx. 2:40) than I did. 

The skier vid shows the same route I took (safer) and these guys did a more fun route (steeper). I don't think I would go the way they did with the weather conditions as they were when I was up there, so there is that safety consideration


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## zackmorris (Feb 13, 2013)

Lol at the guy reading trip reports then saying how self centered it is to post trip reports......sometimes I hate the internet. 



I'll be climbing/riding Torreys this week. Will report back with a ton of pictures and video for the appreciative.


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

zackmorris said:


> Lol at the guy reading trip reports then saying how self centered it is to post trip reports......sometimes I hate the internet.
> 
> 
> 
> I'll be climbing/riding Torreys this week. Will report back with a ton of pictures and video for the appreciative.


I look forward to seeing them. I have never actually got up to Gray's /Torries in snow...


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

zackmorris said:


> .....
> I'll be climbing/riding Torreys this week. Will report back with a ton of pictures and video for the appreciative.


so, did this trip happen ??

how did it go ??

Pics/vids ???


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## zackmorris (Feb 13, 2013)

deagol said:


> so, did this trip happen ??
> 
> how did it go ??
> 
> Pics/vids ???


2 guys backed out the night before so my buddy and I rode Silver on Buffalo instead. I posted a few pics in our Colorado thread. I should be doing some cool shit this Tuesday. I'll report back!


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## deagol (Mar 26, 2014)

Sweet, I did see your other post but didn't put 2 and 2 together.


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