Report from December 21, 2023 – the shortest day of the year

Yesterday I woke up worked after hiking and skiing the “Benson & Hedges Couloir” and didn’t get out of the house until after 10am.

I was tired enough that I brought my ski resort setup and my backcountry gear so that I’d have options…

I’d talked to Andrew McLean – legendary author of “The Chuting Gallery” – and he told me that the “Catcher’s Mitt” on Kessler Peak had looked good from afar 2 days ago.

Since I don’t know where to go in the Wasatch in general and didn’t have any strong ideas, I went for it.

I’m glad I did.

I didn’t see another soul the entire trip and I there wasn’t a single track to be found up there…

The Catcher’s Mitt

10,403′ Kessler Peak, UT

Details

• Summit (actually a notch):  10,300′
• Car:  7,300′
• Vertical From Car:  3,000′ 
• Vertical skied:  2,000′ in the chute and apron
• Max Pitch:  38º?
• Avg Pitch: ??º 
• Aspect:  East
• Distance:  6-miles round trip
• Time From Car to Top:  3 hours & 10 minutes
• Car to Car Time: 4 hours & 15 minutes
• Recommended Equipment:  Skins, Crampons, Ice Axe

I parked at Donut Falls and started slogging up the road.

I had no idea where I should turn right to go up Kessler but I kept an eye out for a skinner.

Eventually, I saw an old skinner covered in new snow going directly into the brush off the road towards Kessler.

I took it and it was brutal.

Straight up.

It eventually ended below the Catcher’s Mitt so I continued its evil squiggle up the mountain.

119 switchbacks to the top of Kessler!

“What the hell!?”

I was completely exhausted to start the day and had even sat in the parking lot for 30 minutes trying to motivate myself, then ended up doing 119 switchbacks straight up Kessler…

Such a weirdo…

This was the shortest day of the year and starting at noon made it feel even shorter.

I booted up the last little bit to the ridge and the sunshine felt right.

SLC was smoggy and the cliffs across the valley were turning orange.

I dropped into a dark, sharky chute before gliding into the main gully and milking it to the valley floor.

The bowl skied pretty well.

The 3-6″ of snow that fell a couple of days ago stood up.

It was crusty underneath but who can complain considering how dry it’s been this season?

The shocker was that the trees below the chute skied well.

Right until they didn’t…

66% good.

33% crusty, punchy, bushwhacky.

I rolled down the road with a smile.

I’ve skied every day since November 1, 2023, and all of those days in the Wasatch.

It’s been a good run.

Off to Tahoe and California for Christmas and a short break.

My first break in a while…

NOTES:

• I didn’t see any signs of snowpack instability
• Avalanche danger was rated at LOW at all elevations and aspects yesterday by the Utah Avalanche Center
• It’s still very low tide and boney out there – please be careful

Thanks, Utah!

Photos