Huron Peak

14,003 ft.

May 5, 2005
Northwest Face
Solo
 
 
 
The NW face- I would skin up and ski the moderate slope to its left(lookers), where the summer trail ascends
Up on the top
Maybe LaPlata out there to the right?
The 'wave' at the top, Harvard behind
It's not that pretty but it goes, down the ridge back to the NW side
The cruisey slope below the ridge
The east face as seen from Missouri Mountain, the red line indicates the traverse down from the summit where I then skied back down to the northwest

Huron would be straightforward, at least more so than Massive. I had been up this trail twice before and felt it to be safe for a solo ski. The snow closure and subsequent car camp was at the Winfield ghost town. Early the next morning I skinned from the car on very frozen snow and with a few solo days behind me this spring I was used to the solitude.

The weather was good and the time passed quickly. The main NW face looked a bit too patchy to ski so I opted to follow the summer route to its left. With its moderate angle I could easily reach the summit ridge and then piece the finish together from there. I could safely climb up and ski down along the ridge, on the snowy side, and reach the more open and mellow terrain I ascended below.

By now afternoon weather was building all around me. With the sun obscured, the snow remained firm(safe) and allowed the solo nerves to stay relaxed. It was warm enough though that the lower mountain would soften up because of ambient air temperature, so the skiing wouldn't be totally lame.

The requisite solo portrait shots were taken up top and I began down the ridge. It wasn't the most aesthetic line off the summit, I'd want the east side for that, but for solo purposes this would work just fine. The corn snow peeled off thicker and thicker as I made my way down to the road and back to the car.

I was a smooth day. Next week I would return for another go at Massive.

I seem to see more bighorns around the Clear Creek peaks than anywhere else- this bunch is really young
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