So fellow skiers. How do you claim a FD (first descent…bra) without getting chastised by the greater backcountry community when some lurker comes out of the snowpack and says he skied the line back in 2002? Good question.
Now first off, please know that this isn’t a prelude into claiming some sick new line on the North Face of the Grand Teton…or any first descent for that matter. But there are a few lines out there that you never hear of people skiing and wonder if anyone has. Trust me…I’ve got my eyes on a few.
Case in point…I heard through the grapevine that Jimmy Chin thought (or was told) that during his Teton Trifecta, he may have scored a FD of the East Ridge of the South Teton. A short, exposed pitch leading towards the col west of the Ice Cream Cone. Someone asked me if I had heard of anyone skiing this line and sure enough…a few months ago I got an email asking the same thing from someone who had just skied it. He was also inquiring about another line on the Dike Pinnacle that he had also skied. Though I wasn’t completely sure, my thought was that both had probably been skied before.
East Ridge of the South Teton.
Obviously, digging into the local guidebooks is the first step in seeing if someone has skied a particular route before. However, most of these books were printed in the mid-90’s, after ski mountaineering really got some legs here in the Tetons. Today, more than 10 years later, way more skiers are hitting the backcountry and pushing the envelope, and unfortunately no one has come around to publish an updated resource. In addition, not everyone has a blog where they talk about what they are doing and many ski mountaineers are hermit-types, tending to shy away from the public eye.
What’s the big deal with first descents anyway? Shouldn’t we just ski for the fun of it and keep our mouths shut. To me, I think it would be cool to bag a first descent. Not for the fame or bragging rignts at the pub (well…maybe a little.), but more as a way to challenge yourself. To gain a feeling of accomplishment and achievement.
Any of that red, white and blue snow left? Happy Fourth of July!
Hey, FYI… I just called the Wyoming Fish and Game to see how to comment on the wolf hunting plan. They must receive mail by 5:00 today, which means that if you want to comment at this point, you have to fax a written statement. The fax number is 307.473.3433.
How anyone could shoot a wolf is beyond me.
Thanks Shannon!
Hoping to sample some July 4th snow tomorrow!
I think I saw a pic of Griber skiing that line. Can’t remember who took it. Guess we could ask Griber when he returns from G2.
I think first descents in skiing are akin to first ascents in climbing. It is something worthy of note, if you consider it a form of alpinism, which it usually is when a first descent occurs these days.
I mean, how could something like the Hossack or Otterbody not be considered a considerable and notable event in Teton ski mountaineering?
My two pesos.
First descents are great, and very far and few between. They seem to be more and more contrived in the lower 48. Way less aesthetic, and more like down climbing, and traversing the fall line with skis on. There’s plenty of first descents left in many parts of the world… go get them!
More than anything I like to see when a line was first skied, always nice to know that line that just had you scared stiff in full plastics and dynafits was skied in leathers in the 70’s :). Do you know if anyone has skied the N/NE face on 10,696? There was definitely a fun looking line on it through the winter.
I call it the Brenden line. I know it’s been skied at least twice…once by by Brenden O’Neill and once by Wesley Hunch. Have always wanted to ski it.
I can’t tell you the number of times now that people have claimed a FD here in Alaska that has already been skied, especially when these folks just say”it wasn’t in some guidebook/alpine journal”. ( or worse: my heli guide said it had never been skied)
There have been a lot of bad ass, quiet and humble skiers around for a long time,who ski more for the pleasure of the line than commercial or ego gain.
I think it is time for the ski community to promote personal enjoyment /challenge and forget this FD driven mentality that ultimately ends in some kind of ” I guess I made the first Irish American, brown haired Aquarius, left handed descent of that line, I’m pretty sick eh bro!”.
If you’ve never skied it then it is a first descent FOR YOU. That’s great ,go get some, continue to push it for yourself,but no need to make a social crutch out of it.Just enjoy it for what it is.
Happy turns to ya.
Randoobie one, Who wrote the last paragraph? Surely not you?
Shannon, I am a huge wolf fan. All animal populations need to be controlled. Wolves in northern Idaho are “sport” killing elk and not feeding on them! Sad but true!
All this first descent jargon reminds me of hunting for first descents on rivers. Yo dude that run is a double, secret, handshake stash! Don’t tell anyone until we hit it up. Why not tell everyone so somebody actually runs the shit. In the end it’s all good and the world keeps on turning round and round.
Cheers.
Wolves smoke a pack a day. JK I love them and are happy they are back but anyone with a head on their shoulders knows there must be predators and prey. Thats how we keep the balance. Fortunatly we are smart enough to know how to find a balance.
Derek
it’s a good ski…it skied fat in april this year.
I assuming you’re referring to the East Ridge of the South?
Q: How many Tetonians does it take to ski a FD?
A: All of them. One to ski it and the rest to talk about it.