Outdoor Research Verticulture » Tom Murphy http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com Get Stoked! Outdoor Research Verticulture Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:31:57 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Isolation Traverse http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2011/08/isolation-traverse/ http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2011/08/isolation-traverse/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:24:53 +0000 Tom Murphy http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/?p=7061

Tom, working the tele w/ a full pack. Photo by Jason

There are many reasons to venture out into the mountains; solitude and the clear mind that comes from being free of cell phones, computers, and scheduled commitments of any kind. Even eating takes on such planned simplicity that there is little decision making involved. In fact the only decisions that you must make as a ski mountaineer are those that will get you from point A to B safely and fulfilled. Our June traverse from Cascade Pass to Diablo had that simplicity: sleep, eat, ski, repeat.

Different things turn different people on about a traverse in the Cascades. For some it’s getting it done as quickly as possible, others are out there to stand on summits, for me it’s finding great snow on fun slopes whether off ridgelines, summits, or the couloirs along the route. On our Isolation Traverse we encountered everything from crust to corn and low angle glacier to steep salt and pepper.

For this crew, it’s the downhill that drives journeys into mountains. Adam Roberts, Jesse and Jason Hummel and I found everything from puckering jump turns to soul turns in corn on the glacier. It doesn’t have to be scary; turns are turns and the more the better.

Early on in the traverse we took a layover to explore the area around Eldorado. Moving across the Inspiration Glacier we came to where it met the McAllister. Looking across at Dorado Needle our eyes were drawn to a huge cornice hanging over a beautiful pitch. “Hey Adam, I’ll ro-sham-bo you for it…” but he was already on his way up the Inspiration. Beautiful turns were left on an aesthetic line as Adam ripped 7 perfect arcs down the slope. It was a line we would all ski again the next day as we continued on to Backbone Ridge.




The long gentle traverse under Backbone Ridge was the same mellow slope that the Skoogs had slowly climbed when they pioneered the route in the opposite direction so many years ago. That night, as we set up camp, the Cascades reminded us that we were in the Northwest as the clouds rolled in. Over the next few days we flew by wire using a handheld GPS past Wilcox Lakes and up and over Isolation Peak as we neared Snowfield Peak and the Neve Glacier.
On our fifth day we got to camp early and set up on the shoulder of Snowfield Peak. A blanket of low clouds left only the tallest peaks sticking out like islands. It was beautiful. We could see back over nearly our entire route from Eldorado to Dorado Needle to Backbone Ridge, Isolation Peak and the sloping snowfield that we climbed to camp. With so many hours of daylight remaining we headed up Snowfield Peak through sugary snow on scree. It was nice to gain the summit and the view it afforded us, reaching even further than our view from camp. The ski from the summit was rough with the last skiers having the hardest time picking their way between the rocks and trying to link what patches of sugar hadn’t sloughed off. We returned to camp, it was time for dinner – a simple task.

After dinner the sun was still well above the horizon. The late evening light on the slope we had climbed earlier in the day was too much to resist; corn snow on a perfect 30-degree pitch descending towards the clouds. Clouds were slowly rising and falling, pouring over the lower passes below camp giving the evening a moodiness that wasn’t quite angry, more mysterious than ominous.

So with nearly empty packs we hiked up above camp, out on to the snowfield, cheering each other on as, one at a time, we laid down turns in the late evening sun. There was nothing difficult about the skiing that evening. The snow was soft and shallow with a surfy quality that held the edge of our skis with softness you’d expect more from water in its liquid form than its crystal form. These were the quintessential soul turns that are the reason we strap boards to our feet in the first place. Even after a long day of travel it was the light that finally ended our little feel-good session. After each of us had taken 4 or 5 laps, the sun dipped below the horizon and we were left in the twilight to climb into our bags for a good night sleep before our return to civilization.

Our return to said civilization was swift. The glacier gave way to glades and ravines on the shoulder of Pyramid Peak and the snow slowly dissolved into the warmth of old cedar trees and then the trail to the road where we traded our boots, Gore-Tex, and water bottles for flip-flops, t-shirts, and IPA…Classic.

]]> http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2011/08/isolation-traverse/feed/ 0 Cutting Baby Teeth http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/11/cutting-baby-teeth/ http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/11/cutting-baby-teeth/#comments Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:36:21 +0000 Tom Murphy http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/?p=5222 


A famous first descent this was not. The range itself, the Neacolas, is only famous within small circles, those that are conscious of the massive efforts of the likes of Joe Stock who pioneered several range-wide traverses in Alaska. And it only came into public awareness with events such as Mt. Redoubt’s Eruption January – March 2009. In short the Neacolas are the northern most part to of the Aleutian Range, butting up against the Tordrillos, which are the southern most part of the Alaskan Range. The Tordrillos have been on the tip of skiers’ tongues for years on account of Chugach Powder Guides’ Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, the jumping off point for the famous Kings and Corn helisking/fishing trip and home to hundreds of untouched descents. The sister range to the south is home to large volcanoes and a largely unexplored set of peaks with couloirs, faces, and Patagonia-esque spires. Plenty for everyone and a great spot for some good-old-fashioned human powered soul skiing.

Our trip to the Neacolas started with a few days of weather delays, a theme that’s expected in Alaska. We had four (ish) days of good weather in our nine on the glacier, an unexplored patch of ice just north of the Cook Inlet. Our first day was a divide-and-conquer mission to check different aspects for stability. The results were pockets of instability caused by a persisting gropple layer of inconsistent thickness. That evening the weather rolled in and our little camp became the boundaries of our world. It was like being on house arrest.

Three days later a bit of improved visibility inspired a quick tour to ski a short shot low on the slope to the west of camp. As we headed out, things opened up. The clouds lifted and we found ourselves staring across the glacier at one of our objectives, the Teeth. The smaller of the two teeth looked better than ever and we decided to push up towards it, at least enough to get a feel for the conditions. With our late afternoon start, it proved to be a good idea. The sky went completely blue and it was a beautiful tour that would lay the groundwork for our ascent the next day. A descent in deep, heavy snow in a lower angle couloir brought us back to the glacier and back in our tracks; it was an easy glide to camp.

The next morning, we got an early start and headed up our track breaking trail past where we had turned around the day before, pushing up onto a massive bench on the shoulder of this mountain. The windless, nearly cloudless day made for perfect conditions and so up we went, choosing to head up the South East Rib. Steep skinning turned into even steeper boot packing until we reached the shoulder before the last ramp to the summit. The curving aspect that we came up was like the front of a shark’s fin and from the shoulder we could look over the back of the fin, a vertical, precipitous drop of over 1000 feet.

The climb to the summit was easy and straight forward. From the top we took a few pictures and a few moments to reflect on our accomplishment. Looking north and east we saw the looming monument that is the larger of the two teeth. Access to the larger objective was definitely not easiest from our vantage. We concluded that it would be better to go further up the glacier before even beginning that climb. Thoughts of the larger peak were brief in the reflective celebration of our first Alaskan first ascent and looking to the first descent that was to follow.

From the summit we skied down the face that had been visible from the bench from which we had begun our climb on the rib. Decent snow, the rush of isolation, and the spirit of pioneering a route both up and down that had never been done before was incredible. There is still snowy frontier out there and it’s closer to home than you’d think.

]]> http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/11/cutting-baby-teeth/feed/ 0 Winter in the Grand http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/winter-in-the-grand/ http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/winter-in-the-grand/#comments Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:59:53 +0000 Tom Murphy http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/?p=3078 The Grand Canyon is something many Americans associate with the wheeled pilgrimage of their youth, that family trip to national treasures half endured and half enjoyed. These memories of pulling up to the rim of the canyon, looking out at the poster child for geologic time, form a hazy montage of a place worthy of it’s status as natural wonder.  Memories of other visitors, dry air, heat, and red tinted, monochromatic, landscape are ingrained in our minds right next to the ones of Arches and Yellowstone.

For a smaller subset that view is not enough, it’s too detached, too passive. These people are driven to experience the power of the fluid blade that continues to carve the ‘Grand’ deeper and deeper. The peak season is gorgeous and there is more to this section of the Colorado River than the rush of running rapids. There are storied sites of native history and natural beauty such as the Nankoweap Granaries, Deer Creek, Elves Chasm, the confluence with the Little Colorado, and Havasu Canyon. All these places are visited by thousands of river travelers. Clean but well-worn paths cut through the ancient soil of the desert to beautiful overlooks, waterfalls, caves, and amphitheaters. Combine that with some of the largest and well-known rapids in North America and you can understand why river lovers covet a trip down the Grand. Even with so many visitors each year there are still hundreds of private boaters who do not receive access to this section of the Colorado River in the lottery based permitting system. Access to the river on a commercial and private level has always been a touchy subject and the recent move from a wait list to a weighted lottery hasn’t alleviated the discord. During the peak seasons bumper to bumper commercial traffic, both human and motor powered, as well as private trips of varying size make for a bustling canyon.




This December we were alone. The twelve of us left from Lee’s Ferry on December 18th ready for three weeks on the river. The mid-winter launch date caused much skepticism; heads were filled with thoughts of drysuits frozen stiff and cold, cold nights. I can only assume that these same thoughts in others are what left the Colorado River nearly deserted during our entire journey.  Our trip had the feeling of moving through a ghost town, not because of physical evidence of prior inhabitants but because one can feel the lingering presence of the thousands of people that floated downstream in the months before. And the vacant campsites and miles traveled downriver seeing no one but those on our own little trip. It would be like being in New York City and every famous restaurant, museum, and street were empty. No lines, solitude where it isn’t expected. The difference is that the ‘Ditch’, as it is affectionately known, is a wilderness attraction. Solitude is one of the beauties of experiencing the wilderness and the majority of the thousands that head out from Lee’s Ferry experience this natural wonder from within the buzz of the swarm. The buzz and the swarm can add other positive elements to the experience – camaraderie and community. For me, a wilderness experience is defined by eliminating that static and reducing the experience to its quintessential clarity. This past December that clarity was there, along with good friends, and a beautiful canyon. The distractions were few.

The clarity provided by the ‘off-season’ put-in date was well worth the trade off. The supposed harsh conditions of a winter trip were no worse than a fall trip down an Alaskan river and with less rain. In our twenty days on the river, on only three of them did rain fall on our heads. A few other nights the depth, dryness, and colder weather at the rim swallowed the moisture before it could reach our camp. Waking with frost on our tent flies and a ring of white clinging to the upper walls of the canyon sometimes revealing what could easily have been missed without that white layer. We reached Owl Eyes camp at around mile 134 on day eleven, but it wasn’t until the next morning, with the snow providing contrast, that the enormous owl-like eye sockets were apparent, 100 feet across, a mile behind us high on the canyon wall.

The 12,000 – 19,000 cfs flows were perfect; exciting when steep and swift in the flats. It was easy to average 13 miles a day and even our 30 mile day was far from arduous. The classic rapids from Hance through Lava Falls were at perfect levels. With no raft capsizes and only a couple swims, the whole trip was relatively carnage free. With our crew of seasoned paddlers, former and current guides, everything off the water from dinner to dishes to setting up camp went just as smoothly. Everything was aligned, good weather, good flows, and great friends. This wintertime trip on the Colorado was the perfect blend of solitude and season.

]]> http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/winter-in-the-grand/feed/ 0 February Dreaming… http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/february-dreaming%e2%80%a6/ http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/february-dreaming%e2%80%a6/#comments Fri, 16 Apr 2010 00:47:03 +0000 Tom Murphy http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/?p=2982 Here in Alaska there has been a warm snap. Above freezing temperatures and liquid precipitation has wreaked havoc on the snowpack. A slide closed the Seward Highway for a day just south of Girdwood. All I can do is wonder what mother nature has in store for us this year.




Last year the eruption of Redoubt with its apocalyptic display of ash and electricity quashed our plan to ski in the Neacola Range and forced us to resort to plan B, a trip to the Scandinavia Range in the Chugach. With commanding views of Marcus Baker and excellent terrain in the area it seemed to be a good option. The trip was great and some ski objectives were completed. We summitted and descended Greenland Peak. Made strong attempts on Finland and Norway peaks as well as two shots at the NW couloir off the shoulder of Denmark Peak. The breakable crust and questionable stability as the slope angle ramped up made those two attempts fall short. The only thing missing was quality snow. The thin pack made for hop turns through sharks’ fins and light footed turns on variably breakable crust rather than classic high speed big mountain descents but a great trip none the less.

So I reminisce about that trip and what some of the descents could have been like in better condition. But mostly thinking about how great it was to have such a talented group of skiers with the strength to make the most out of what ended up being a mountaineering trip instead. It was nice to be there with individuals with the determination to tackle the most aesthetic lines that were taunting us from camp in spite of the poor conditions.

This year has new potential. Even as I write this, the snow is starting to fall outside again. The temperature is dropping along with the barometer and winter is returning to the 49th state. This is good news. We have new plans for the Neacolas. Better researched and bolder in our goals we are headed to a region that has seen fewer visitors than the International Space Station, with our sites set on several first ascents/descents in this drainage. Look for more updates, as the trip approaches and planning and preparation gets underway. As long as the conditions hold and Mt. Redoubt stays docile there should be much to muse over come next February.

]]> http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2010/04/february-dreaming%e2%80%a6/feed/ 0 Bacon and the Ditch http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2009/12/bacon-and-the-ditch/ http://www.outdoorresearchverticulture.com/2009/12/bacon-and-the-ditch/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:18:06 +0000 Tom Murphy http://outdoorresearchverticulture.com/?p=804 _TWM3602Bacon. Fatty, cured, made out of pig, mmmmm bacon. I don’t eat much bacon but I just ordered about 40 pounds of that tasty skillet fodder. Why? Why would a usually health conscience member of society associate with bacon? What possible explanation could there be for a civilian to purchase that much bacon at once? If you’re thinking there might be some sort of conspiracy you may be right. The Universe (or God or whatever) has conspired to push one of my favorite seasonal sports, paddling, well into the winter. All that pork is fuel for the little metabolic furnaces that will need to be in overdrive by December 18, our put in date for the Grand Canyon.

The powder whore in me wants to know why I would even consider giving up a month of prime snow to wear funny outfits and get wet. The paddler in there knows that chances to get in the Ditch at all are few, let alone to be part of planning a private trip.

The current permitting system, a lottery, has made it increasingly difficult to get private boaters on the water in prime months with the majority of downriver travelers being guests of the concessionaires. The cold weather and nonexistent sunlight of wintertime in the Canyon makes them hard trips to sell leaving those ‘less desirable’ times for the eager private boaters who want their own personal chance in the Ditch with their friends, with their meals, on their terms. ‘Less desirable’ is really from commercial clients’ perspective. With the Canyon walls being so tall there are places where the sun doesn’t rise until noon and sets at one. There can be snow on the ground for the first week or even longer. Diehard river rats adapt to the cold temperatures and lack of light. Drysuits, down jackets, knit hats will all be the every day attire as opposed to the shorts, cotton shirts and visors of the summer trips. In the end, the payoff will be fewer people on the river and more parties.

Pic of Tom_TWM2412More parties? We all know that river kids need no excuse party. Traditionally running (or getting worked by) the largest rapids on the Colorado demands revelry. Now take those festivities and speckle things in there like the Solstice, Christmas, New Years, and the birthdays of any Capricorns who happen to be present, and now you have nearly back to back celebration with good friends on a nearly deserted river. Needless to say bacon will play a key roll in the recovery of those little pieces of over exerted liver.

Focusing on planning the itinerary and meals has been made possible by the delay of winter here in Alaska, refusing to allow the mental shift to the ski season. The final details are due long before the trip itself which is good because there will be plenty of shushing to be had here in Alaska before the New Year and the Grand adventure that starts just before.

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