Day 13 -- 12/15/10

DAWN PATROL is an age old tradition in Wasatch backcountry – provided your age old is something like 32 years old.  But a tradition has to start somewhere and local folklore has it that Black Diamond Equipment employees, going back to Alex Lowe’s days in retail, initiated the idea of rising at four a.m., driving up the canyons to start climbing by headlamp by five, with the idea of reaching to top at sunbreak for a couple of quick runs, completed in time to get back down the canyon and punch in for a 9 a.m. start time at work.

So my durable ski partner, Brad Carroll, and I decided to take up the condition, though it is well known that for me, rising at any hour before nine is grounds for a grievance with Amnesty International.  But thank God Brad is a cheerful and functioning early riser.  And with coffee brewing, sandwiches Zip-locked, and skis on the car, my sole responsibility.

In my complete robotic state, I somehow managed to shoot enough video to create a movie of the experience, linked here.  As for future Dawn Patrol outings, I recall the Japanese aphorism: “Only a fool fails to climb Mt. Fuji; only a fool climbs it more than once.”  Though, I must say that arriving at the summit as the sun broke over the southern ridgeline was transcendent and I realized that I am an incorrigible fool for the undisturbed beauty of fresh light on fresh snow.

Go to the link and watch the movie:

http://www.vimeo.com/17912001

Day’s Vertical: 4,100.  Season to Date: 44,000.