The end of the year brought snow, cold, and another successful winter mountaineering course in the beautiful San Juan Mountains of Colorado.  Six aspiring mountaineers from Chicago to Texas to Colorado are now ready for bigger, bolder, and more committing climbs after successfully completing our four day Introduction to Winter Mountaineering course.

Day one consisted of students learning the basics of Ice climbing in beautiful Cascade Canyon.  Students practiced everything from basic anchors to ice screw placement and spent the day refining techniques on vertical water ice.

Day two started the winter camping and second portion of the course.  Students loaded packs and headed off into the wilderness snowshoeing up to the base of Engineer Mountain where they learned about setting up a “Quinsey” or snow cave and about the basics of setting up a winter camp.

Day three consisted of snow travel in avalanche terrain, basic avalanche forecasting (digging a pit), Avalanche Becon usage and searching techniques, snow anchors, and self arrest.

After three days of instruction, students finally set off to attempt Engineer Peak via the impressive Northeast Ridge.  There, the learning continued with rope travel techniques and efficient travel in steep terrain.  Though cold and windy,  smiles were ear to ear as the techniques from the past few days were applied and practiced while we negotiated the ridge to the summit.  Later, after down climbing back to the base of the peak we all reflected on the ascent, packed camp, and made our way back to the cars.

Well done guys!

BG

A spell of high pressure in December means it’s time to get high in the back country.  Mark U. and I warmed up on the East side of McMillan and found virgin powder.  Me donning Black Diamond Verdicts and Mark on his K2 Coombas, we floated down Northeast facing slopes towards Cement Creek.

Mark scrambling San Juan style to the summit of a gendarme on McMillan peak.

Day two we skinned up the Northeast ridge of the Battleship, which had not seen a descent this season, and fought our way up through the fallen trees and soft snow for three and a half hours to the summit, which my friend fondly termed a “goat rodeo” ascent.  After soaking up the views of peaks like Bear, S. Lookout, Sultan, and Anvil, we skied the Northwest bowl down into Middle Fork of Mineral Creek, and back to the car on the Ophir Road.

Mark skiing powder with perfect form on the Battleship

We were all smiles on our drive home, tired and satisfied, looking forward to the rest of the season in the San Juan backcountry.

GF

December has been a great month for snow, especially in the Southern San Juans between Coal Bank and Red Mountain Passes.  More great news for ski conditions in the high country.  Check out this storm profile!

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST WEDNESDAY.

* PERIODS OF SNOW… HEAVY AT TIMES… WILL CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM 10 TO 18 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SOUTHWEST FACING SLOPES WILL BE FAVORED.

* SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH CREATING AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS THAT HEAVY SNOWFALL AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW WILL RESULT IN DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS. AVOID DRIVING THROUGH THE WARNED AREA UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.

On Saturday the 19th and Monday the 21st, SWAG guide Gary Falk led one of our past Level 1 Avalanche Course particpants, and veteran of the ski the peaks program, on a couple of days of Backcountry Skiing in the San Juan high country.  They experienced generally stable conditions on both days, culminating in a descent of the sought after Battleship run, though they opted for the NW bowl instead of the intimidating and high consequence East Face.  Pictures coming soon!

ND

Last week we conducted our first SWAG Ski Guide Training for all of our Backcountry Ski Guides here in the San Juans.  We will conduct an additional training in the month of March, prior to the start of our spring skiing season.

Guide training and certification is something we take quite seriously at Southwest Adventure Guides, and it was inspiring to see everyone so invested in the scheduled training days.  Topics covered included improvised sled rescue, companion rescue protocols, expectations for guides with respect to trip planning and leadership, track setting and route finding, as well as instructional techniques for powder snow and variable conditions skiing.

All in all it was a great couple of days, with just a little bit of fun mixed in.   Hey, it doesn’t always have to be work to be work!  The avalanche conditions in the backcountry have been steadily improving over the past week, and thought it’s been some time now since the last storm cycle, there is plenty of good powder (aka. cold smoke) to be had.  Come and join us this winter on one of our Backcountry Skiing Courses or Trips and find out why the San Juans have the best backcountry skiing in Colorado!

ND

The SWAG ski guide team near Red Mountain Pass.

SWAG guide Gary Falk looking good in his RAB gear!

We are proud to announce our new partnership with Backcountry Access, makers of the finest selection of avalanche beacons and gear in North America.  Backcountry Access is owned and run by dedicated backcountry skiers and snowboarders that live for fresh lines. Their passions are ski touring and innovation.  They constantly strive to break new ground with their products and ideas.

All of our courses and trips will be featuring BCA Tracker Beacons, as well as Traverse Shovels and Probes.  Come and join us on one of our Avalanche Courses or Backcountry Skiing Trips/Courses and find out why BCA makes some of the best avalanche safety gear in the industry!

ND

BCA Tracker Avalanche Transceiver

Traverse Shovel

Profile 240 Probe

We all gathered at the office today to discuss training dates and refine skills prior to the start of another busy winter season of guiding in the San Juans.  The snow has been falling at a steady rate all day, which bodes well for the snowpack up in the mountains.  Our first AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course begins on December 18th, and there is sure to be some very relevant snowpack characteristics to view given the current state of things in the mountains. More snow is on the way and it looks as though we’ll receive around 3 feet of snow in the high country from this storm.  Hopefully this pattern holds for the rest of the winter.  If so, the Backcountry Skiing is going to be incredible this season.  Bring it on El Nino!

Several of our guides have been out in the backcountry on many of the areas classic ice climbs, including the Direct North Face of peak 12,579 in S. Mineral Creek and HIghway 666 in Silverton’s Eureka Canyon.  Ice conditions are shaping up nicely and the season is in “full swing” in the San Juans.  It’s a great time to think about signing up for one of our  Ice Climbing Courses or Winter Mountaineering Courses to augment your mountaineering skill set. Stay safe out there and think cold smoke!

ND

Descending the upper slopes of the Pumphouse outside of Silverton, CO.

Check out this text from the National Weather Service.  Winter is in full swing, ice conditions are superb, and this storm should really help ski conditions, though with the early season snow sitting around doing nothing but faceting there are certain to be some touchy avalanche conditions during and directly after the storm.  Stay tuned for some ice climbing reports and pics!

Storm Profile for Monday – Wednesday

.. MAJOR WINTER STORM EXPECTED TO IMPACT EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO EARLY NEXT WEEK… POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY SNOW MONDAY AND TUESDAY…

* TWO WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL IMPACT THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH THE SECOND WEATHER SYSTEM EXPECTED TO BRING THE HEAVIEST SNOW.

* STORM 1… SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY… THE FIRST SYSTEM REACHES NORTHEAST UTAH AND NORTHWEST COLORADO SATURDAY EVENING AND SWEEPS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF WESTERN COLORADO ON SUNDAY. ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE EASTERN UINTA MOUNTAINS AND THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF WESTERN COLORADO.

* STORM 2… MONDAY AND TUESDAY… POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT SNOW FOR AREAS ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR AND SOUTH.

* STORM 2 POTENTIAL ACCUMULATIONS FOR SELECTED LOCATIONS:

2 TO 3 FEET SOUTHWESTERN SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS… GRAND MESA… WEST ELK… ELK… AND SAWATCH MOUNTAINS.

1 TO 2 FEET FOR ANIMAS AND SAN JUAN RIVER BASIN… INCLUDING DURANGO AND PAGOSA SPRINGS.

POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS… 6 INCHES OR MORE… FOR GRAND AND SAN JUAN COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST UTAH… INCLUDING BLANDING AND MONTICELLO AND ALONG INTERSTATE 70 EAST OF CRESCENT JUNCTION… OR INTERSECTION WITH HIGHWAY 191.

POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS… 6 INCHES OR MORE… ALONG THE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR… INCLUDING FRUITA… RIFLE… GLENWOOD SPRINGS.

SNOW WILL INCREASE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 70 MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY WITH SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE.

* FOR MOUNTAIN AREAS… SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE ON MONDAY WITH STRONG WIND GUSTS OVER THE PASSES AND RIDGES.

* SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE STORM TRACK AND INTENSITY OF STORM 2 STILL EXISTS. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT THIS STORM WILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER IMPACTS ACROSS EASTERN UTAH AND WESTERN COLORADO… ESPECIALLY MONDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUING INTO TUESDAY.

Winter has officially begun in Durango and the San Juans with a few inches of snow in town this morning with A LOT more up in the high country.  Have a look at this forecast from NOAA!

Current satellite imageary for the Western US.

With winter shaping up nicely, now is a great time to sign up for one of our AIARE Avalanche Courses or our Backcountry Skiing Courses and Trips.  We’ve made the Reservations/Registration process even easier with our Online Registration feature.  Please don’t hesitate to send us an email or give us a call to discuss the options!

ND

I’m glad to report that I’ve successfully completed and passed the AMGA Alpine Guides Exam!  It didn’t come easy, and a whole lot of time, money, effort, support and commitment was required to make it all happen, but it sure feels great to have done well and passed the exam.  To read more about the exam itself, and the preparation process click on this link to view the exam blog.

ND