Safe Winter Ascents?

A friend and I are looking at doing a winter ascent in the next two weeks but are a little worried about the avalanche danger. We were hoping to do Broads Fork Twin Peaks, but the Utah avalanche website is saying that nearly everything in the wasatch range is in considerable danger of slides.

I have never done a winter ascent before, but i do know a bit about avalanche safety. The friend I'm going with has done a few 14,000 footers and has some avy safety knowledge as well.

I'd like any recommendations and or tips about which peak is safe to climb right now and good for relative beginners, even if the advice is just don't do it.

Thanks in advance.

Avalanche hazard is a somewhat rapidly changing thing. The possibility exists that your objective could come into shape by this weekend or the next. Are you reading the entire forecast on a daily basis?

Your statement that "I have never done a winter ascent before, but i do know a bit about avalanche safety." doesn't really compute. If you don't have training and experience with winter travel then you really don't know much about avalanche safety, at least in the correct context.

What is your method of travel and what sort of climbing are you after?

There are two routes up Twin Peaks from Broads Fork. Both are terrain traps. The first is Bonkers, 1800 feet of 38-degree chute. 38 degrees is the most likely angle for snow to slide in the Wasatch. The other route goes up to the saddle between Twin Peaks and Sunrise Peak, requiring you to traverse under the Twin Peak Slabs, which are notorious for avalanching. Once past the slabs, the climb to the saddle itself is about 500 feet up 30+ degrees, capped by a couple hundred feet of 38 degrees.

There are two other routes up to Twin Peaks: Deaf Smith Canyon and Lisa Falls. Both are worse than what I just described.

This image is the "Danger Rose" from today's forecast for that area. To me, that looks awful for climbing an ENE-facing route up to 11,000 ft.

I personally would not do it. Wait until Spring or Summer. You can get excellent snow conditions at the end of the season when the freeze-thaw cycles begin.

Sorry, maybe i wasn't clear. I am planning on hiking up, getting to the summit by foot climbing class 3 and 4 stuff.

I have been back country skiing a handful of times in my life, and always with a group of people who were much more experience than I. My avy safety knowledge comes from what they have told me and what I have read online, but I have never taken an official class. I am sure there are some blaring gaps in my knowledge.

I know how quickly avalanche conditions can change, but after the season we have had I feel like there really wont be any changes coming this season, the base is just really, really bad. A lot of my alpine touring/backcountry friends have put away their gear and decided to just ski in bounds this year.

Thats why my question is which peaks are safe to climb right now and good for relative beginners...

The Bobby:

Thats about what I figured for Twin Peaks, I looked at that danger rose today on the Utah Avalanche Center's website. We were really hoping for a winter climb though, are their any other peaks that aren't so dangerous now?

Andrewprime1 wrote:Thats why my question is which peaks are safe to climb right now and good for relative beginners...

Honestly, this is not the season for beginner winter peak-bagging in the Wasatch. There are some easy routes that are safe for ski travel, but they won't feel like peaks. Wait until the end of season when the snow stabilizes. You will be able to do a snow ascent of Twin Peaks and several other good peaks without risking life and limb. It is only a few months away.

Haha, skiers whipping past us the whole time, that would be great. Alright, I appreciate the input, we'll wait until May/June then and revaluate the conditions.

Have you considered Pfeifferhorn? The route to the top of Red Pine is reasonably safe, using good backcountry awareness. Access the ridge and stay on it carefull to not wander onto any wind slabs.
Lone peak is another one with pleanty of "safe" options depending on how techy you want to get. Most of the snow on the south face up there settles out pretty fast, watch out for daytime warming. There are some fun routes in the cirque.
Timp has some relatively safe routes on the west face up the ridges.
If Twin is a must Lisa falls is probably the route I would take pending snow conditions. This route usually slides with new snow or daytime warming so start early and get out before it warms.
Conditions are always changing throughout the day so dont let your gaurd down. FYI before this last series of storms most of the south facing slopes to 10000' in LCC were dirt with wind loading on east facing aspects. Ridges on timp were dirt with old snow near the top in the drainages. Conditions will more than likely change before you head out so do some recon and check the avi report.

Take at least a level 1 Avy class, have rescue gear, and know how to use all of it before trying any of the Wasatch high peaks in winter - and especially this winter. This accident in particular is a good reason to not really recommend a winter trip up the Pfeifferhorn or Lone Peak unless you really know what you are doing.

I think judging on the season and the comments I will wait on the winter ascents, at least until I take a avy 1 class.

If ya want something that is safe, easy access, and will give you something to think about try the South Ridge of Superior. While much of the ridge is third class, there are sections that for most a rope is a must. To descend safety, traverse east to Cardiff Pass and ski down from there. (Do not descend the south side of Superior or Toledo).

Given the avy conditions you will find most other options are not an option. For instance you can get to the P-horn safely but even an ascent of the std east face/ridge could be fatal as the upper slopes can and will slide.

As others have said take the Avy 1 course - there will be one over P-day weekend, lots of goonballs have been known to show up to help teach.

Even depth hoar conditions this crappy will very likely stabilize by late March or early April. Allen's suggestions of S Ridge of Superior and E Ridge of Pfeifferhorn would both be likely to come into shape by then, and could be done using snow shoes if you're not planning on skiing in and out.

the most common cause of avalanche lies in the human decision-making process. people ignore the warning signs or rationalize their decisions to continue in spite of the warning signs.

if the avalanche risk is high, perhaps the best approach is to wait rather than look for people to tell you it's not.

i don't know about UT but the winter we've had in CO is setting us up for some scary avy conditions. the upper layers of the snow pack may stabilize such that the avy conditions reports may get better. but, all of that snow is still sitting atop a very weak base layer. something to keep in mind...

The sad thing is that even 9990 isn't a good bet.

http://utahavalanchecenter.org/obs_snow_profile_park_city_ridge_north_9990_152012

We could see a huge crown face across most of 9990 a few weeks back from after it did slide.

JLP wrote:Forget avi danger - unless you are looking for a powder run, wallowing around in the snow this time of year is a pain in the ass. Do your "winter" ascents in April-June. There will generally be plenty of snow, you can kick steps, glissade, self arrest if needed, walk on your feet instead of swim, climb exposed and dry rock - and not freeze your ass off.

+1

I climbed Little Black Mountain earlier in the season right after a snowstorm. Little avalanche danger. Some surprisingly fun 3rd/4th class scrambling at the top (though admittedly, not a ton of it). The trailhead is easily accessible in the Avenues.

It's not an 11er but it's still a good workout. I felt safe on it, though your mileage (and snow conditions) may vary.

Link to Summitpost beta.

I've actually skied Little Black Mountain during a giant dump a few years ago. Pretty neat to get a few thousand feet of turns in right next to my house. That summit ridge gets really miserable with a lot of snow on it - I've postholed up to my waist while wearing snowshoes.

But yes, the foothills peaks are good bets in the winter. I do Little Black Mountain, Big Beacon, Grandeur, and Olympus in winter a lot for a workout.

what do you guys think about the avy dangers of everest ridge this weekend? we were planning on a sunday ascent. Are we going to die honorable deaths in the mountains?

suuntout wrote:what do you guys think about the avy dangers of everest ridge this weekend? we were planning on a sunday ascent. Are we going to die honorable deaths in the mountains?

ya, probably.
utahavalanchecenter.org/