Thurstan Peak: Northeast Face

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The run starts out at a moderate angle, then rolls over to steeper terrain, cuts into a traverse below some chutes, and then finishes along the apron below the cliffs.

You are betting on multiple aspects with this run. Every part of the run is in the run-out zone of a slide path from multiple angles. Also, there is no obvious way back up to Thurstan Peak other than the way you came down. I did not particularly enjoy the skin to get back up to the peak. A fall could have serious consequences. There is a major cliff one could fall off of on skier's right.

I skied this in poor conditions in the spring, but there was some reasonable snow at the time. The aspect is favorable to decent snow.

Ski down the open face, or to the skier's right a bit for some trees. Mind the cliff on skier's right! You'll see what I mean when you reach the bottom of the pitch.

Further down, you'll naturally contour into a traverse below cliffs with two notable chutes embedded in them. Ski the apron below these cliffs until the terrain flattens out. I did not ski down further than this. The apron is a solar aspect, so it could have good turning if the sun has had time to soften it.

At this point, climb back out the way you came unless you can think of an easier or safer way to do so. You could also go snag the chutes in the cliffs. I skied the one on looker's right, which looked easier than the one on the left.