Funky Goodness on Mount Bancroft

13,250-foot Mount Bancroft is new terrain for Meriwether and I. It's a nice peak, smack dab on the Continental Divide, with a huge, maybe 35° bowl that allows for skis off the summit. The predictions called for super warm temperatures today, but oddly enough Bancroft was - for the most part - shrouded in fog, lending the day a mystical, Scottish feel.

Skinning into the clouds. Not an easy climb by any stretch, due mostly to a couple factor - heavy, unconsolidated snow for a top layer and stagnant, sauna-like feel in the air. The summit of this peak is kind of interesting...when ascending, there is a jagged, obvious top. But then you get up to the ridge, and you find out there is another summit higher up, and quite rounded...non-dramatic. The whole thing was a little disorienting thanks to the fog and gallons of sweat pouring down my face on the hotter-then-hell skin up.

It's pretty rare you get to spend much comfortable time on an Indian Peaks summit (and I guess technically this isn't Indian Peaks) but on this day there was not a breath of wind. The fog was rolling in and out, and after figuring out where to go and more importantly where not to go, we got a nice break in the fog for our run. Here's Meriwether pointing down the spine of the Continental Divide north towards the next adventures.

Meriwether dropping down the east flank of the Continental Divide. Nice turns up top before it turned into a sloppy mess of slow moving slide concrete. Love the clouds in the background here.

Both Meriwether and I are on a lightweight set-up. Great for going up, powder and corn, but it requires diligence when the conditions were sloppy like today. But, that's part of the fun - doing more with less.

Drop the knee, not bombs brah! Meriwether slaying Bancroft.

There was a bit of...ummm...wet slide action out there today. Slow moving concrete that would probably remove your femur from your torso if you got caught up in it. It's definitely NOT consolidated out there, and probably not that safe for the next 3-4 days until things set-up. Lesson learned.

Despite the tricky conditions, Bancroft was good to us, offering some spectacular mountain surroundings, funky fog, zero people, a summit descent and invigorating snow conditions. What more could you ask for? Stoked for the next adventure!