Scariest peak

[dblskifanatic]

Here is a list that is fitting for this thread!

Ten deadly ski runs to make you crap yourself

The world's deadliest ski runs to try before or while you die….

www.snowsbest.com

 

[FBGM]

Here is a list that is fitting for this thread!

Ten deadly ski runs to make you crap yourself

The world's deadliest ski runs to try before or while you die….

www.snowsbest.com

Whoever wrote that about pipeline needs a re-visit. I still have not skied it, (I wonder if they have that open, I might go ski bird tomorrow, need to knock that one off the list)

 

[raisingarizona]

I've skied the Alps for many years but never got into the crazy stuff..you need a guide for that. I did watch this at Chaminox and at the time..said no way!
At least here you can access crazy stuff on your own with a little fear of dying...the Alps..you better know what you are doing or have a guide. I just watch vids of it like ones of LaGrave to really see what its about..way out of my league..

I gotta say, I've been surprised at what has gotten some of my friends/hero's/peers in the past. I've learned over the years that it doesn't take much.

 

[raisingarizona]

Low visibility at Snowbird can get you into trouble!

No, you get yourself into trouble, low vis just makes that easier to do.

 

[kingslug]

Remembering the Skiers We Lost

Over the last week, five top mountain athletes died in three separate incidents in the Himalayas and Andes. Here, we’ve gathered remembrances from people who knew them best.

www.outsideonline.com

I had just started following Andreas Fransson..no one really heard of him until he found some one good enough to come with him to film.

 

[Zand]

Here is a list that is fitting for this thread!

Ten deadly ski runs to make you crap yourself

The world's deadliest ski runs to try before or while you die….

www.snowsbest.com

Stopped reading after they put Corbets at the top.

Maybe I need to go to Jackson a 4th time, but there has never been been a 1 foot drop into Corbets when I'm there, nevermind 20. You can launch in if you want, but as far as the goat path goes, once you get over the notoriety it's a pretty simple steep narrow drop, hard right (with a banked down and the wall is like 20 feet past the turn...its not that easy to hit), then take a left into a wide open bowl. There's way too many 1k+ foot long chutes that are 10 feet wide the whole way down with no room to turn for Corbets to make this list.

 

[dblskifanatic]

Stopped reading after they put Corbets at the top.

Maybe I need to go to Jackson a 4th time, but there has never been been a 1 foot drop into Corbets when I'm there, nevermind 20. You can launch in if you want, but as far as the goat path goes, once you get over the notoriety it's a pretty simple steep narrow drop, hard right (with a banked down and the wall is like 20 feet past the turn...its not that easy to hit), then take a left into a wide open bowl. There's way too many 1k+ foot long chutes that are 10 feet wide the whole way down with no room to turn for Corbets to make this list.

I thought the same when reading that since Corbets is so popular. The it has had it's share of injuries. If you look it up - Truth to tell, no-one has ever died in Corbet's (or so the resort will tell you, and there is no reason to doubt it), although there has been a litany of blown-out knees, spiral fractures, and broken bones.

 

[jimk]

Whoever wrote that about pipeline needs a re-visit. I still have not skied it, (I wonder if they have that open, I might go ski bird tomorrow, need to knock that one off the list)

My son has done Pipeline. He joked that the hardest part is the hike to it. But seriously, it is skied in streaks. Often no one in it for a long time, then lots of people ski it during a short period of time. You have to talk to locals or patrol to find out when it's in reasonably safe shape. These photos are a couple years old, For those who don't know, Pipeline is a hike-to chute above the Little Cloud area at Snowbird, it's the long narrow chute to upper right:

Close up with guys in the chute

Stopped reading after they put Corbets at the top.

Maybe I need to go to Jackson a 4th time, but there has never been been a 1 foot drop into Corbets when I'm there, nevermind 20. You can launch in if you want, but as far as the goat path goes, once you get over the notoriety it's a pretty simple steep narrow drop, hard right (with a banked down and the wall is like 20 feet past the turn...its not that easy to hit), then take a left into a wide open bowl. There's way too many 1k+ foot long chutes that are 10 feet wide the whole way down with no room to turn for Corbets to make this list.

I have not skied Corbets, and I'm impressed that you have. The drop-in can be very intimidating in low tide conditions. I've been to Jackson Hole on three occasions, all after I turned age 60. There's no fool like an old fool and I didn't want to attempt it and get hurt. Delirium Dive is much tamer than Corbets, except for the stairs As my son says, the worst thing you can do in steeps is take your skis off.
My son entering Corbets:

 

[Zand]

I thought the same when reading that since Corbets is so popular. The it has had it's share of injuries. If you look it up - Truth to tell, no-one has ever died in Corbet's (or so the resort will tell you, and there is no reason to doubt it), although there has been a litany of blown-out knees, spiral fractures, and broken bones.

I think all the injuries and notoriety are more because way too many gapers have easy access as it's about 500 feet from the team station and easy to get to. But nothing about it is really death defying...if you fall you tumble down in usually deep powder and have only a small chance of hitting a small rock with no cliff bands or anything.

I think the reason so many people tumble down Corbets is that they try to throw on the brakes right before the turn and there's not enough room with the rock on the right, so they catch their ski and get spun around. When I hit it I admittedly panicked for a brief moment but I kind of leaned to the left onto the wall, then the banking in the turn stood me back up. I knew I couldn't throw the brakes on.

Stuff like Pipeline has a higher chance of death because it's narrow, rocky, and has cliff bands. But less injuries because you have to hike to it. Most stuff like that either has to be hiked to or you need permission and avy gear before going in. Corbets you just hop off the tram and ski right up to it.

I'll never ski stuff like Pipeline because I hate straightlining anything. Even if its like 100 feet...just hate not having speed control. Corbets is like a fun house ride compared to the rest of these. Not saying it's easy to drop in by any means, but it has one narrow area with a banked turn and then it's nothing.

 

[Zand]

My son has done Pipeline. He joked that the hardest part is the hike to it. But seriously, it is skied in streaks. Often no one in it for a long time, then lots of people ski it during a short period of time. You have to talk to locals or patrol to find out when it's in reasonably safe shape. These photos are a couple years old, For those who don't know, Pipeline is a hike-to chute above the Little Cloud area at Snowbird, it's the long narrow chute to upper right:
View attachment 51650
Close up with guys in the chute
View attachment 51651


I have not skied Corbets, and I'm impressed that you have. The drop-in can be very intimidating in low tide conditions. I've been to Jackson Hole on three occasions, all after I turned age 60. There's no fool like an old fool and I didn't want to attempt it and get hurt. Delirium Dive is much tamer than Corbets, except for the stairs As my son says, the worst thing you can do in steeps is take your skis off.
My son entering Corbets:
View attachment 51652

I faced the opposite direction when I went into it. Easier to turn in the direction of the curve, plus less trouble if you need to bail to the left a bit.

 

[kingslug]

My most insane run was Little chute at Baldy..next to main chute. Main chuet is a piece of cake compared..and I should not have been in there..but..everyone else did it..I ended up last to go and it scared me to death..so I ended up side slipping the upper narrow part until I got to the wider part. I will never do something like that again..it was no fun and almost killed a woman we were skiing with..she fell 400 or so feet face down breaking her shoulder. Stuff like this no longer interests me. Although now I could probably do it much better..but..nah.....
Pipeline..if you survive the hike then you can survive the run. I will attempt neither.

 

[raisingarizona]

Central is the real deal. Cody > No Name > 4 Pines is probably the most classic, iconic side country ski tour/run in the lower 48 imho. I feel really fortunate to have many days doing that one. I’ve skied central three times, twice where the exit was only an easy 10-15 footer, once where we had to gun it and drop 30 or so feet to clear the lower rock. It has one of the best landings at the Vill, a true greaser!

pipeline is pretty straight forward. Me and a buddy of mine once poached the viewers right facial zone, I can’t remember what it’s called but it’s a big no no and has some decent exposure.

Corbets entry is committing but once your in it’s pretty much done. There’s a much more exciting Couloir to the right as you walk off the tram dock stairs that basically drops into the upper reaches of Granite called Horseshoe. It has a mandatory 15-20 half way through the line. 50 + degrees. It’s one of my most favorite lines in Jackson.

its been a long time but I think crested butte has a pretty cool summit you can hike to.

WATCH: Skiing The Iconic 'Central Couloir' With Max Hammer [#TBT]

This is exactly how we all imagine skiing Jackson Hole’s Central Couloir. The bummer of it all– only Max Hammer and a handful of others can rip this line with such fluidity and grace. *Video courtesy of Teton Gravity Research

unofficialnetworks.com

 

[jimk]

its been a long time but I think crested butte has a pretty cool summit you can hike to.

WATCH: Skiing The Iconic 'Central Couloir' With Max Hammer [#TBT]

This is exactly how we all imagine skiing Jackson Hole’s Central Couloir. The bummer of it all– only Max Hammer and a handful of others can rip this line with such fluidity and grace. *Video courtesy of Teton Gravity Research

unofficialnetworks.com

There is a hairy side from the CB summit. My son and I took the tame side and curled around to do some of the chutes like Banana and Funnel.

 

[raisingarizona]

There is a hairy side from the CB summit. My son and I took the tame side and curled around to do some of the chutes like Banana and Funnel.
View attachment 51654

One of my most favorite places. While living in steamboat for a couple of years we would get down there for their free skiing week and closing day shenanigans. The terrain is awesome but the lift set up kind of sucks. 3 lifts to lap the nf stuff I bet gets old if you’re a local.

That’s an aspect that I loved about Taos, there’s really good skiing off of nearly every lift for doing hot laps.

 

[FBGM]

That pipeline pic above, it’s deep. Blown in good. That’s best case there.

it was pushing 80° in PC today. I’m over skiing. I got the hot rod so close this morning (first time on the road after a 16 month build). Then went to golf. Yeah, bye winter.

 

[thetrailboss]

Low visibility at Snowbird can get you into trouble!

Indeed. Even a regular run down Regulator gets pretty tricky if the clouds/fog rolls in. Not fun. I've had some interesting days there in all kinds of weather in the last ten years.

 

[thetrailboss]

I was watching a video of Big Sky which I went to 9 years ago and I remembered getting off the tram and going holy shit!..it was the scariest peak I had ever been on. JH is tame..I mean they have a waffle hut...even the top of Baldy at Snowbird/Alta is a cool place to chill out before you drop in...but this thing had nothing but steep drops on all sides. We skied the dictator chutes which were pretty damn steep. Never got to hit the Big one as it got socked in and the line became an hour wait after we got down. Only thing I can think of even close in the East the top of Tuckermans.
Thoughts?

So when I did Lone Peak earlier this season I enjoyed it. Maybe it was because having been out out west I've gotten used to steeper and open slopes. You are right though that Big Couloir is serious stuff as are the front side of the Tram. I skied Liberty Bowl and Lenin. The latter had some consistent pitch.

In terms of other scary peaks, on the east coast I'd say the Summit of Mount Ellen (Black Diamond and FIS) is pretty damn steep for east coast. Tux is also steep. In terms of other lift-served terrain that is steep, Middle White Nitro at Sugarloaf drops off pretty quickly and can get pretty slick. Pretty much anything right under the Spillway X-Cut is pretty steep.

Scary steep stuff out here--lots of places at Alta/Snowbird. I did see one picture of the Daly Chutes at Deer Valley that are indeed legit. Ski Discovery in Montana has lots of steep goodies on the backside. My first taste of steep west coast skiing was at Squaw Valley in 2010. Lots of steep goodies there.

 

[thetrailboss]

I got out there a while back, staying on a friend's couch but he ended up in Moab that week, so I really had very little to do other than ski. One day the weather was damp at best and the visibility was nearly non-existent; skiing the front side was okay, but going into Mineral Basin turned out not to be such a good idea. I ended up skiing very slowly so I could follow the corduroy and tried not to get vertigo. That was probably the worst visibility I've dealt with, and I've skied in some pretty thick fog.

Yep, been there done that with Mineral Basin. At least today there were orange posts marking the sides of Powder Paradise.

 

[thetrailboss]

Here is a list that is fitting for this thread!

Ten deadly ski runs to make you crap yourself

The world's deadliest ski runs to try before or while you die….

www.snowsbest.com

For some odd reason I cannot get that to open....

 

[Tonyr]

I believe Upper Starr is the steepest inbounds trail in VT at 38 degrees. The Daly Chutes are indeed legit especially the 4th and 7th Chute. This is looking up from the drop in of the 4th Chute, it's a 44 to 45 degree pitch that is pretty sustained. (as I posted earlier)

Below are a couple of other good ones that I've been on. This is a line somewhere between Toilet Bowl and Das Boat at Grand Targhee, it was so steep it was almost unskiable as you can tell I just kind of edged down the drop in, the run is not very long so once you get by the worst part it's not so bad but that small area may be the steepest thing I've been on, I'm guessing somewhere in the high 40's.....(the 2 young guys going over it behind me were jumping it! I'd guess that section was a good 25 to 30 feet long)


This is the 1st Wipeout Chute at Mammoth, you can ski around to the 2nd Chute pretty easily and avoid that bumped up nastiness but if you go down the 1st Chute you'll be on one of the steepest trails at Mammoth, that drop in at the very left of this picture was definitely over 45 degrees. You can see the edges dropping down into it. I skied this one in July 2 summers ago.....

Looking up the Wipeout Chute....

That is the steepest run at Park City called the Red Pine Chutes the first entrance onto the trail has a 44 degree pitch the 2nd entrance a little further over is tamer. The run is quite a bit wider than the other three so it was the easiest....
Those four are probably the steepest trails I've been down. Snowbird, Alta, Jackson,Telluride, Squaw Valley and Crested Butte all have really steep terrain as everyone knows but I don't think I was on anything at any of those places that was over a 43 degree pitch. Crested Butte's T-Bars were closed when I was there or I very easily could have. Telluride didn't have there best stuff open yet either and the only day I skied Alta I was with my wife and son so I didn't get a chance to explore the stuff off of the Collins lift. Same with Big Sky I skied there with my family the whole time both days we were there. They have a ton of crazy stuff if your willing to hike over to the Headwaters area. A local told me that the backside of the Headwaters Chutes is the toughest terrain on the mountain, he thought the Big Couiler was much easier than anything on the Headwaters side facing the tram.

In any event I think steep terrain with trees in way is the most challenging thing to ski unless of course your hucking off cliffs in the backcountry. Needle's Eye at Breckenridge and a sidecountry run at Stowe called Pipeline are the two most ridiculous trails that I've been on. Pipeline at Stowe in particular has some of the steepest and tightest trees you will ever ski in bounds. For anyone interested the small entrance is located to the skiers left of Upper Goat right behind the Octagon restaurant, it is so tight in there that you can barely turn your skis.