TR: Circumnavigation of Adams IV (or: 8K Vert Day!)

[gpetrics]

In running FamousInternetSkiers and going on ski trips, it’s tempting to continually try to outdo yourself. You might start to think that the next trip always needs to be bigger, better and more significant than the last. While the personal ambition to do more in the mountains is good to keep one from getting bored, it can’t be the only driving force. Sometimes, despite one’s eagerness to find that gnar line that no one else is even thinking about, you must content yourself with a good old fashioned corn snow harvest on a well known route. Sometimes, despite a long day of skinning, the most you can claim is 8,000 vertical feet–a number well short of the local benchmark of 10,000 feet (also see here). Sometimes, despite wanting to find a storyline that will add a narrative to the trip, the most significant thing you did was circumnavigate Mt. Adams IV–so long as you don’t actually count Jefferson Ravine. But these compromises clarify for me what skiing is really about: skiing. No story, list, benchmark, location, or number can play substitute to a great descent on great snow. To make what is becoming a long story short, we poked around the general vicinity of Mt. Adams IV a little while ago hoping to ski these three lines.
http://famousinternetskiers.com/media/greg/09-10/april_fool/IMG_6049.jpg (http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/trip-reports/09-10/circumnavigation-of-adams-iv-or-8k-vert-day/)
Click the picture or here (http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/trip-reports/09-10/circumnavigation-of-adams-iv-or-8k-vert-day/) to read more.

[RR]

I know this will sound a little odd. First, some commercial congratulations!

I hadn't noticed this new aspect of your site before, but clearly a sincere form of respect is being shown for your combined efforts and skills with both adventure and film. Well done!

Secondly, that tour represents the fruits of imagination ripening in a most satisfying manner. Nicely done.

[riverc0il]

Well played on the pregame before the primary. Oh heck, well played all around!

[natron]

I like way you make the schuss:D

[surf88]

The FIS trip reports are always worth the visit.
PS~Theres a trail at my local lift ticket (Pats Peak) called FIS.

[TuaGuy]

Of such stuff dreams are made. Now to work on the waking.

[awf170]

The picture of Allen pointing and laughing at Christian is hysterical.

BTW, your 8k was probably a lot more tiresome than my 10k. Those trails on the north side of the presis freakin' suck. I know it must have been pretty bad since on Saturday Christian was talking about next time he goes over there skinning up the Cog and just making a mega traverse across.

[Rider.Steve]

FIS = Fantastic, Informative, Scenic

My drool button is broken.

[drewvw]

I really like the choice in tours you are putting together lately greg...great work once again.

[bristlecone]

BTW, your 8k was probably a lot more tiresome than my 10k. Those trails on the north side of the presis freakin' suck. I know it must have been pretty bad since on Saturday Christian was talking about next time he goes over there skinning up the Cog and just making a mega traverse across.
The ski-in / ski-out aspect of that approach was breaking up a little bit as of last Sat., but still mostly there. A very pleasant stroll down the aisle of the candy store in any case - no slog factor to speak of. The exit is a nice bonus. Definitely worth grabbing while it lasts. The only downside is getting distracted by the low-hanging fruit... but then how is that a downside?

Nice TR!

[petebanta]

Great TR! Awesome pics!

What makes you think the crown was from a wet slide? Just curious. Seems to me to be the remains of the cycle that ran through a few weeks back, after the big dump/wind-loading event (E>W)? I thought I remembered hearing/reading that some west-facing Prez slopes had had some biggies...

Seems a wet slide would have been pretty recent, and the bed surfaces looked like they were baked for a while since the slide.

Not arguing, just practicing assessment skills & wondering your thoughts...

Also wondering if there were reports of any wet slides during the big warm-up? Anyone hear of any or see any sketch stuff this weekend?

[gpetrics]

The picture of Allen pointing and laughing at Christian is hysterical.

BTW, your 8k was probably a lot more tiresome than my 10k. Those trails on the north side of the presis freakin' suck. I know it must have been pretty bad since on Saturday Christian was talking about next time he goes over there skinning up the Cog and just making a mega traverse across.

yes, christian's trials and tribulations on splitboard are (and were) hiliarious :D we keep telling him: hardpoots with dynafit toes, or SKIS!

as to the northern presi access. to all interested parties, take note: randolph path=the heinouss sister. Seriously. Beyone the lowe path, she was horrible, beaten and rugged. Downed trees every 5 feet, and a 60 inch snow pack puts you on something just short of a full on bushwack.... We all agreed the way to go next time is either from the Vermont Alpine Railroad (bwahaha) or just go up to boomer junctioin on adams via skinner's/booters choice and ski the mellow snowfields over to edmunds col. this might be well known fact, but these are the things that are fun to figure out for oneself. it's tooo bad though because if we had made a wiser choice we would have had time/energy for jeff raven (Caw caw!)

[gpetrics]

I know this will sound a little odd. First, some commercial congratulations!

I hadn't noticed this new aspect of your site before, but clearly a sincere form of respect is being shown for your combined efforts and skills with both adventure and film. Well done!

Secondly, that tour represents the fruits of imagination ripening in a most satisfying manner. Nicely done.

thanks for the compliments RR. I just thought i'd add though that the inline backcountry.com ad that was near the top of the TR was an accident. We're still working on installing some advertisements in a low impact fashion, and i guess somehow it got put in the middle of the TR. We only wanted it at the bottom of the TR in what I hope is a less obtrusive spot.

We're definitely experimenting with ways to make a bit of change on this site, and if anything strikes you as good bad or ugly please don't hesitate to chime in. thanks again!

[petebanta]

yes, christian's trials and tribulations on splitboard are (and were) hiliarious :D we keep telling him: hardpoots with dynafit toes, or SKIS!

What were his issues? Skins slip off sideways on double-fall lines? Slipping back from no ski crampons? Was it his first time on the split?

Mine are usually fine for climbing. It's assembly/descent where I have issues.

[bristlecone]

upon closer inspection... that circumnavigation was quite wide-ranging.

[gpetrics]

upon closer inspection... that circumnavigation was quite wide-ranging.

I said it was a long approach ;)

[gpetrics]

What were his issues? Skins slip off sideways on double-fall lines? Slipping back from no ski crampons? Was it his first time on the split?

Mine are usually fine for climbing. It's assembly/descent where I have issues.

his issues are sidehilling, sidehilling and on the rare occasion: sidehilling. Oh, also sometimes sidehilling gets the better of him.

he's a well seasoned splitboarder, who refuses to give in to hardboots which apparently make sidehilliing (which he occasionally has trouble with) easier...

[icelanticskier]

upon closer inspection... that circumnavigation was quite wide-ranging.

ya, so much so, that upper walking boss and flume were visible from adams ;)

nice tour!

rog

[petebanta]

his issues are sidehilling, sidehilling and on the rare occasion: sidehilling. Oh, also sometimes sidehilling gets the better of him.

he's a well seasoned splitboarder, who refuses to give in to hardboots which apparently make sidehilliing (which he occasionally has trouble with) easier...

I find that with splits you can avoid side-hilling sometimes, as skins are so wide. Add ski crampons and you can go straight up about pretty steep stuff.

But it is tougher to get good side-edge pressure in sloppier soft bindings...

[gpetrics]

ya, so much so, that upper walking boss and flume were visible from adams ;)

nice tour!

rog

that's actually my new telephoto lens in action ;)

yeah for you hardcore readers who have made it to the 15th post or whatever, this TR starts out with a few shots from a second trip to the roadside katahdin coolers (http://www.famousinternetskiers.com/trip-reports/09-10/roadside-katahdin-coolers/) zone along with a day in which we actually DID circumnavigate Adams IV (minus jeff raven)

[gpetrics]

I find that with splits you can avoid side-hilling sometimes, as skins are so wide. Add ski crampons and you can go straight up about pretty steep stuff.

But it is tougher to get good side-edge pressure in sloppier soft bindings...

yeah he's pretty good at that, but we're all on dynafits, so don't shy away from a sidehill in tour-lock, and i think our route choice sometimes screws him....

he's upgrading to something bigger and better and stiffer for next year, and getting ski crampons which will help alot, but in the meantime he's just getting it done with splitboard 1... apparently his boots and bindings are the stiffest soft boots you can buy though. i have to say we did do some really annoying sidehills though. i think anyone but a dynafiddler would have cried--and even then!

[bristlecone]

that's actually my new telephoto lens in action ;)
Pretty fancy - seems to have coerced light to make some hard corners on the way!

[gpetrics]

Pretty fancy - seems to have coerced light to make some hard corners on the way!

mirrors! and smoke!

[JR's Eyeblack]

yeah he's pretty good at that, but we're all on dynafits, so don't shy away from a sidehill in tour-lock, and i think our route choice sometimes screws him....

he's upgrading to something bigger and better and stiffer for next year, and getting ski crampons which will help alot, but in the meantime he's just getting it done with splitboard 1... apparently his boots and bindings are the stiffest soft boots you can buy though. i have to say we did do some really annoying sidehills though. i think anyone but a dynafiddler would have cried--and even then!

As one the two splitters who was standing in Edmands Col (in your picture) watching your traverse, I can certainly sympathize with the splitboarder in your group. That had to have been a half mile side hill across CR. The buddy I was with uses hard boots and was destroying me on all the side hill snowfield traversing we did that day. Having toured with him all season, I have to say that the only real benefit to soft boots seems to be walking on rocks and slab.

[gpetrics]

As one the two splitters who was standing in Edmands Col (in your picture) watching your traverse, I can certainly sympathize with the splitboarder in your group. That had to have been a half mile side hill across CR. The buddy I was with uses hard boots and was destroying me on all the side hill snowfield traversing we did that day. Having toured with him all season, I have to say that the only real benefit to soft boots seems to be walking on rocks and slab.

hahah... yeah it looked terrible for him when we got to the col and waited. i saw some eyes that looked like they had been crying when he arrived ;)

PS: you mind that we have you in that picture?

[Seeker]

Excellent work as always...

except for the crap beer! ;)

Thanks for taking me places I will never go on skis. I really enjoy the armchair tour.

[gpetrics]

Excellent work as always...

except for the crap beer! ;)

Thanks for taking me places I will never go on skis. I really enjoy the armchair tour.

why does everyone hate on MHL? At the end of a long long day i prefer somethign cheap since it's all going to taste like spaaten at that point anyway... and at 1.50 for a can which holds basically three beers--it can't be beat!

thanks though!

[boardman]

dude, I've simply run out of superlatives for your TR's. I wish I had the time on my hands to get up and around the Whites (and Greens) as much as you cats. But I'll take the vicarious trip through your reports any day as consolation. Thanks.

[Doremite]

Greg - Awesome %^*king work. Putting together an epic season. Still have yet to get up to Mount Washington (or any other Presidentials for that matter) and currently anxiously awaiting a weather window.

[gpetrics]

thanks all for the compliments! maybe we will be getting some fresh for powder skiing this weekend!

Greg - Awesome %^*king work. Putting together an epic season. Still have yet to get up to Mount Washington (or any other Presidentials for that matter) and currently anxiously awaiting a weather window.

yeah it's been a surprisingly good year! have had plenty of days where we had to stay on our avy toes up on the big hill, but it has been delivering quality snow all winter long... we need to get you up there!