When she's elusive, I find three attempts usually works. With Brad, on my first attempt for Mount Rumble's Chute, we stopped at the Korohusk chutes. With Dave Bass, on attempt number two, we roasted in the spring heat, avoided avalanching slop and skied 7,500-feet without even touching the mountain. But on attempt number three, Cody, Tucker and I got lucky.
At 7,530 feet Mount Rumble is the fifth highest peak in Chugach State Park. Rumble is stashed at the head of Peters Creek, up river from the city of Eagle River. The uninitiated may try to access Rumble via the 24-mile Peters Creek Valley Trail. They soon learn what it's like to hike through 18 miles of moose-nibbled willows.
Tucker brought his new Hi5 188 La Sportiva skis rigged with 170 gram bindings (made by ATK I think). I had serious his-truck-is-bigger-than-mine syndrome. But that's okay. Tucker is my boss. Bosses should have bigger trucks.
8:30 am with 4,500 feet and half of the approach bagged. I forgot my camera battery so I poached some photos from Tuck. He later loaned me his camera to stop my complaining.
Skiing 3,800 feet into the elusive Peters Creek. The crux of the day was climbing back up this hill.
In the zone below Rumble. Again, following Zach Shlosar's tracks.
Booting into the the top of the chute. We stashed our skis and climbed up an ice gully to find another 500 feet of powder leading to the summit. We went back and got our skis.
Mount Rumble summit at 7,530 feet. Cody is holding his breath for bonus training since he lives in Bethel (117') while flying for Ute Air. Tucker is getting high and giggling on the thick O's since he just got down from the Alaska Range.
Tucker testing his new Sportiva rides on the impeccable summit slopes. The valley is 5,000 feet below.
At the top of the chute, far above a gigantic kettle sinkhole on the derelict Wall Street Glacier.
Tucker product testing.
Tucker likes the product.
Cody about to exit onto the apron.
Wolverine tracks near treeline at 11pm. We returned to the car after 18 hours and over 13,000 feet of uphill. Don't laugh, but for like people us it's impossible to have more fun.