Cody Townsend Skis a 2,000ft Very, Very Tight Couloir with Jeremy Jones- Video

Submitted by biglines on Sat, 2009-09-26 21:05

The Couloir- Cody Townsend photo

This particular couloir is in a little secret zone I've been going to for a few years to film. I've probably passed by this couloir twenty plus times, always heading on by to make my way up to a further playground of cliffs and powder. Yet this year, due to the poor early season conditions plaguing the west I knew it was time to tick of some more alpine descents and lengthy couloirs. I recruited Jeremy Jones to this line and the moment he saw the pencil chute amid thousands of feet of rock he knew the lengthy drive and trek were well worth it.

Jeremy Jones making the long slog up the couloir- Cody Townsend photo.

We then set out on what should have been a very straightforward hike and climb. But as it turned out the approach to the talus was filled with some of the most hollow snow I've ever had the pain of hiking in. I sunk to my crotch on nearly every step for the first hour. Meanwhile Jeremy nearly flew up the talus with snowshoes that allowed him to float above the punchy crust. As I watched Jer mercilessly take off in front of me the frustration was boiling as hot as the sweat that was poring off my body. Never in my life have I prayed so vigorously for hard snow.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the snow at the exit of the couloir hardened up enough to stop the sinking and we begun a stairway-to-heaven like climb of the couloir. I feverishly picked up the pace in an attempt to catch Jeremy. Soon we stood at the top of one of the most visually stunning hallway-couloirs I've ever laid eyes on.

Once I dropped in I picked up pace at a ridiculously fast rate. Soon I was flying down the couloir almost locked into my turns and having little options to run out a turn and slow down. I still recall nicking my tails against the walls of the couloir twice. Both times sent a nervous tingle up my spine that told me I was barely inside of the line of control. And then the couloir just kept going and going and going and going. My legs burnt like there were blow torches on the inside of my thighs and cramped tightly through the last 100 meters of descent. But damn was it fun and the three hours of up was well worth the one minute of down.