A day in BCC

I haven't posted in a while. It's hard to stay present and reflect on the day when all you're doing is waiting for an e-mail or phone call to let you know if you got a job or not. This especially holds true when so much is contingent on getting a job. Bills, planning a vacation home, going on a gear buying binge, and just knowing what's in store for your future has what's been racing in my head. After three interviews my patients are wearing thin. However today I haven't had a single thought (until now) regarding what was previously stated.


This is what I live for. Interesting perspective on some of the peaks that I've done in this photo.

I had such an amazing day in the mountains. My head gets clear, problems/stress gets put on reserve, and I live in the now. Going with an old housemate and his brother, we decided to do some skinning where ever the snow levels were at in Big Cottonwood Canyon.

The weather was amazing. The snow was even better. We scored some snowmobile hookups to bring us to the top of Brighton and from there, it was skiing in an open bowl on the backside of Brighton (Clayton's Bowl) and skinning around; doing some laps in there.



Did 2 laps in here.


Andy on the 2nd lap.


1st set of my tracks about to be doubled up!

This will not be my last day skiing this year. There's to much snow to say no.

White Baldy

5 A.M. the alarm clock rings. Up and out. With everything packed and ready from the previous day the morning doesn't take to much effort. Before I know it I'm at the White Pine TH in LCC. The main objective is White Baldy, accessing the summit via West Ridge and to have a ski descent down the North Face. This early in the morning makes snow at all elevations feel like an ice skate. It's incredible how well skins work. With relative ease we make it to the Red Pine Lake with a clear look at the route.


White Baldy to the left with the ridge center.

Things became more complicated than what we were expecting once on the ridge. Snow became more firm, ridge line became more narrow and steeper with greater penalties of falling. After a few sections where we thought were the "curx", we halted at the false summit and planed to ski off of that.


Shelby at the last "crux" of the day.


View looking north.

Conditions were firm at top but the snow became more forgiving with each turn down the face. This was my first tour with Black Diamond Megawatt's. These skis can do it all and held impressive edge control down the face.

Since pictures do better than words, here is a short edit I made of the day.

May Ski Tour from Kyle Walcott on Vimeo.

Skiing in May

Being the first winter out west, I've never had the opportunity to experience a ski season this long. It's May and the skiing is phenomenal. Today Keith, Brian and myself headed up the American Fork Twin Peaks. The top elevation is 11,489 which casts a shadow over Snowbird Ski Resort. In route, one must go up East fork along a ridge and traverse west towards West Fork. The game plan was to ski a popular line called Pipeline.


The Twins, with the ridge in view (lookers left) leading up to East Twin. Pipeline is the obvious chute lookers right off of West Twin.


Standing on top of West Twin looking at where I came from.


Ski tip shot going into the main chute.


The conditions were pretty good. We entered in at 10:30 and things were nice and soft. More skiing awaits. As you can see there is no shortage of snow.

Summit Fever on the laptop.

I received word that my friend (Mike T.) reached the highest point in N. America (Denali). After the emotions of feeling happy for his accomplishment, this news has made me extremely contemplative on different objectives I would like to accomplish this summer.
Lone Peak cirque (Utah), Diamond (CO), The Grand and the Wind River Range have all been dancing in my head.
It's been a rainy day so between eating, workingout out, and watching Generation Kill with my housemate, I've been glued to the computer plugging in for beta on all of these wonderful places. It's never to early to plan and have your sites set on something. I say one of the most important aspects of accomplishing a long climb deals with preparation and to complete each of these endeavors will take quite a bit.