Redemption Gulley

Jtack and I skied a rapel-in couloir today between the Mission Ridge and Stemilt Basins. Its the vertical snow slot centered in the tree opening in the photo below. This photo taken from a couple miles down from Mission Ridge on the county road:

We skied up from the parking lot at MIssion Ridge and were able to look up into the couloir from the bottom. From various vantages it was either "jesus that's way too steep", or "I dunno, we probably could ski it". Neither of us ever said "no prob, piece of cake". You can't see the line here, but the rocks on the apron below the line mark the location of the couloir in this photo:

The view from the top was sphincter tightening. We rapelled in over a vertical step and through a narrow choke.

View from the top

The rapel was the safest part of the ski!

Jamie on the short vertical step

Here are some views from within:

I set up a second rapel in the mid choke and half skied, half self belayed the mid section. It was super steep and the middle of the gully was icy, with rotten punchy snow on both edges. The skiable width was narrower than a ski length in sections. Rocks were exposed in the line. Even side-slipping was treacherous.

It was fantastic type II fun. Also, we got to follow a coyote uphill for part of the way:

Wile-E-Coyote:

A perfect afternoon. Super glad to have this in our back yard.