With the sketchy avalanche conditions this winter, there have not been the opportunities to ski steep lines that we typically have here in Utah. Here is something I wrote up after skiing the Hypodermic Needle a couple years ago.

It was clear after our last endeavor up the south side of Little Cottonwood Canyon that we needed to get an earlier start and take less time en-route. Aaron Ward notified me that there was a booter going up the Y couloir and we could probably continue up the ridge from there. The plan sounded good and I was stoked to be out amongst the burl of this Wasatch zone again. Also this time we were going for Dresden’s Face and the Hypodermic Needle, AND Wissman was going to shoot the lines from an opposing peak. Good Plan, hard to make this one work though, a lot of things needed to come together. Timing and conditions must be right to get a worthy photo.

The boot pack up the Y saved us a lot of time, then we blazed on up the ridge, Ward doing the majority of the route finding. It worked well, we only had to go down and around a few jagged rocks on the ridge. Along the ridge, we could see that the snow conditions in coal pit gulch were fairly scoured. We hoped that our lines were in better shape. Nearly 3.5 hours since we began hiking we reached the base of the final steep pitch. It looked steep, luckily there is an old skin track which gave us firm hiking snow. Another hour and I’m looking down the Hypodermic Needle. It’s fully rocked at the top but there looks to be a easy way in from 80 yards down the shoulder. Ward has hiked to his line, and I’m finally ready to drop. Will has said the snow looks good in the chute but looks firm in the apron, and that my best bet is to stay skiers right as I come out. The chute its self is around 20-50 feet wide and 40 something degrees so keeping the speed under control will be a challenge.

I started down the shoulder, as the pitch increased, the snow improved. I see my entrance, but I can also see that my sluff is going to be an issue. I decide to dive-in in front of it and keep the run going. The snow is skiing like a dream as I make 6 quick fluid turns. By now however, I’m sensing that my sluff is closing in, one more turn and it’s nipping my tails. Well, ’so much for my Sunday stroll’ I think as I switch from medium to long radius turns. I’m half way through the chute in another second, hauling ass, I know at this speed I’ve left my sluff trailing by a ways (at least thats what I thought before I saw the photos), but slowing down here is impossible. I’m going over 50 mph as I fly out of the chute and into the apron. Forgetting Wissman’s advice to stay right, I veer left into the open. My eyeballs are rattling as I mach over the hard pack. Its hard to see, but the angle is getting lower, and I start to make my turns more across the fall line and bring my speed under control. I let out a couple of yells in celebration: what a sweet run! In the photo you can see Aaron and my lines. It was awesome to be sitting at the bottom, watching Ward drop, and rip this face. Nice work Wardo! and Thanks for another sick day.

Almost to the apron

Open it up

Wards line on Dresden