Fun day skiing Midi laps in fresh pow with Joel.

Had a bit of a mix-up at the end after getting greedy and reckless looking for fresh turns in one of the entry gullies into the Requin exit couloir. After putting in a turn a couple of metres below where everyone else had cut left into the main couloir my skis suddenly washed out from underneath me. Before I knew it I was sliding over a rock slab heading quickly towards a series of cliff bands. Fortunately I came to a stop a few metres above the cliffs with my skis still on. Thinking I was now reasonably safe, I started side-stepping around the slab to get back up when all of a sudden my skis hit sheet ice and I started to slide for a second time. Less than a metre above the cliff, my skis came to a stop for a second time. Being very careful not to move my skis for fear of sliding again, I got an ice screw in. I then started trying to work out how I was going to get myself out of this situation. I soon realised I was a bit screwed with dense but thin sheet ice to my left, a cliff below me, and a rock slab above and to my right. With the equipment I had, climbing out wasn’t really an option and I wasn’t sure how much I trusted the ice for a rappel out. Fortunately Joel soon came to the rescue, setting up a belay and hauling me out.

Scary stuff… my skis didn’t get much grip on this stuff.

Joel was pretty psyched to hike back up the couloir to haul me out.

Joel looking suitably proud of his bomber 3:1 setup. Makes me wonder how many of my other ski partners would be as quick and confident at setting up such a system… Thanks Joel. You definitely earned those beers!