The Pfeifferhorn’s Northwest Couloir is a classic ski descent in Utah’s Wasatch Range. The line is located on one of the most iconic mountains in northern Utah and begins right from the top of the peak where it falls into a 50-degree chute that constricts to a 50-foot ice cliff that must be rappelled before continuing the descent on the apron into Hogum Fork.
As backcountry ski season was coming to a close, increasingly warm temperatures were forecast for late May, so our group decided that now was the time to attempt to ski the Pfeifferhorn, not only because of the short weather window, but also to end the ski season with a bang. We woke up before dawn, met at the White Pine Trailhead in Little Cottonwood Canyon as the sun rose, and skinned up Red Pine Fork as alpenglow illuminated the peaks surrounding us.
After ascending up Red Pine and crossing over the ridge above Maybird Gulch, we were treated to a 360-degree view of the Wasatch Range. Red and White Baldy sat to the east, the spectacular, glacier carved Box Elder Peak loomed to the south, the wall of slide paths in Little Cottonwood stretched to the north, and our destination, the Pfeifferhorn, filled our view in the west.
From this viewpoint, the only obstacle keeping us from the Pfeifferhorn was a knife-edge, snow covered ridge with serious exposure on both sides. The traverse over the ridge was sometimes sketchy but really fun as stable snow and rock outcroppings gave us confidence-boosting hand and footholds.
After the ridge traverse, only a steep bootpack up the southeast hanging snowfield was left to reach the top of the peak. A previous party had already stomped in the staircase that morning, so we easily made our way to the top of the Pfeifferhorn.
Atop the peak, we took in the view, ate lunch and prepared ourselves for one of the most infamous lines in the Wasatch. Since Adam carried the rope, we all decided that he got the honor of dropping in first.
The upper section of the Northwest Couloir is a fairly wide, yet steep chute that luckily held snow soft enough to edge in. In the beginning, we all were pretty gripped as it’s a serious no-fall zone with a 50-foot cliff waiting below. Adam carefully made his way down to the bolted anchors above the cliff and set up the rope before the rest of us dropped in, one at a time.
Clipping into the anchors after easing up to the cliff was a huge relief. Once protected, concentrating on the rappel became the primary focus. Some years, the cliff can be much larger or smaller, depending on the amount of snowfall. On this day it seemed to be pretty short thanks to massive amounts of recent spring snowfall. There was just enough snow on skier’s right that we could do the rappel without taking our skis off. This compromised our ability to lower ourselves slowly, but skiing the Northwest Couloir backwards was pretty awesome.
At the bottom of the cliff, the Pfeifferhorn’s Northwest Couloir opened out onto a wide apron where we could finally make some big turns. By this time of day, the sun had baked the snowpack pretty good so the skiing was a bit sloppy, but after making it safely out of the couloir, we were thrilled to be tracking up some spring snow.
The apron also allowed us to look up and check out the Pfeifferhorn’s Northwest Coulior from below.
Afternoon temperatures got extremely warm in the upper bowl of Hogum Fork, were we sat around and relaxed for a bit. As a result, huge wet-slab avalanches thundered down the east face of the drainage, one set off after the other. It was a warning that conditions were getting dangerous, so we quickly headed out and bootpacked east up a short pass into Maybird Gulch, where we crossed into lower Red Pine.
Descending back to the cars in White Pine, the thought crossed our minds that skiing the Northwest Couloir of the Pfeifferhorn might be the final ski day of the season. Our thoughts manifested themselves as ground-shaking avalanches spilled down the Tanner slide paths across Little Cottonwood Canyon, sending up plumes of powder clouds. Then, it started to rain… hard.
Despite the sketchy, late-season exit, there was no better way to go out than with a bang by skiing a route that requires a long approach to an exposed and committing line. The Northwest Couloir of the Pfeifferhorn was a big and exhausting day, but the major effort to ski it was absolutely worth it.
AWESOME BACK COUNTRY SKIING!!!!
Justin,
This was done very well with some very good photography. Some Great pictures of you as well. Look very intense to me….I am impressed. VERY COOL!!! Living it up!
Mike Lozier
Dad
WOW, I’m speechless
Ski photography is one of my favourite hobbies. As well as being a long time skier, I love to capture and share those beauties and intense moments.