Skiing Mt. Shasta’s Bolam Glacier
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Getting closer, but still not to snowline.
"How close are we jib?" - "Almost there..."
About 2 hours from the vehicles brings us to snow line. We hiked up and around to the left. The first snow field was steep enough to put our crampons to use right away. It was hard to tell which way to go. We didn’t want to head too far left, as that would take us up the large central moraine. We kept looking for a route through to the right. I was having trouble with my right crampon. It kept coming off. So I stuck to the mixed snow and rock to the left of the snowfield until it topped out. A bit of duck tape took up the slack in my crampon and we continued.
Cool clouds
Looking back to get oriented for our return.
We crossed over and hiked down a bit to just below the base of the Bolam Glacier.
The slope was not as steep here, so we went to skins. Kind of strange to crampon first and then go to skins, but I’ll take it.
Skinning up to the base of the Bolam Glacier.
The Coquette Falls TH drops you off directly below the Bolam Glacier and we gazed up five thousand feet to the summit. What a nice line! We could head to the right or the left. The slope was perfect for skinning. We took a break at around 10,000′ and discussed our position. Unbelievable views of the fall line right off the summit!
Lots of options.
A bit rough on skiers left (climbers right).
It was warming up fast. Probably a bit too late for a summit bid, but we were stoked to have so much ski terrain all around us. We opted to skin up and to the right. Heading left would have put us at the base of The Step, on the main route from North Gate. We skinned up and attained the ridge line.
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© 2012
2 comments
1 ping
You nailed it. Great stuff. Go little subie!
jib means a half assed slide on a box in the park or random object. you dont jib up shasta
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