Main Chute

Nov 2, '21 

Ben and I are pretty new to BC touring. I started last year, and Ben started the year before but was mostly going alone until I pulled him out of the darkness. So despite getting into the BC pretty often (most days of the season), we haven't skied a lot of the classic areas/lines in the Wasatch yet. That included Main Chute off of Mount Baldy.

We went up to Alta on a weekday expecting to lap off the high traverse or down the groomer like normal, but as we were booting up in the parking lot, local crusher AB rolled in and waved. After some brief confusion, during which I apparently gave him a dirty look after not recognizing him through the windshield, conversation ensued, mostly consisting of moaning about the LCC parking debacle. ASL, TOA, USFS, UDOT, UTA, normies... no one was safe. 

We got on the snow and decided to ski main chute. I was testing some skis that I was flipping (Dynafit Speed 76) but didn't think it'd be very challenging from what I'd heard. And while it was Ben's second or third day on skis this year, I imagine he was thinking similarly so we headed up.

From Baldy shoulder. In DC, where I used to live, it's common to take pictures of the monuments with the caption "it never gets old." It's become a meme at this point. Looking down the canyons (any of them) is the SLC equivalent. But for both locations, it is true - it never gets old.

Good conversation and pretty lighting distracted from the tough skinning conditions

Ben and I at the top of main, dawdling during an early season transition

AB posing as clouds roil over upper BCC.

The conditions were 2" of fresh on top of chalky, pronounced moguls. Pretty good. Lots of fun to get into something steep again!

Ben and AB in the second half

Ben and I in front of a gorgeous sunset; me dawdling again.

We did another fun lap in ballroom, skiing fresh on supportable, and ran into another Alta legend in the process. No pics as we were rushing to beat the summit.

Living the dream! 

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