i want to ski bold peak

Bold peak ski:
     The idea of skiing a non-technical peak with potentially more vert than the great Pioneer was enticing to me.  Not only that, but I couldn't find any info on skiing it.  As I have learned, no internet information doesn't mean it hasn't been done.  Many folks have done cool things and not mentioned it to anyone, especially up here in Alaska.  Nonetheless, I wanted to try it.
     Given the avy potential, I didn't feel safe skiing it alone.  Last season I let it pass un-skied and it plagued me.  With a dramatic shift in short-term life-trajectory, I felt convicted to get it done.  Fortunately, Hardcore Harvey was down for the objective.
     Spring conditions can be hard to predict, especially if you consider elevations ranging from ~1300' to ~7500'(Bold peak) deeper in the Chugach State Park.  There wasn't much internet info on Bold for April so it was indeed a gamble of respectable size considering our approach was human-powered AND in a low-snow year.

     We biked in with our gear in tow.  As we did, a posse of ATV-riding skiers passed us saying, "seeya at the hut!".  As it turned out, they were likely doing the Eklutna Traverse, but part of me thought they would be crowding our route up Bold.  We camped that evening at the East Fork split with the skies sputtering a rain/snow mix.  Hardcore packed the gourmet as usual.
       An early-ish start had us hiking to the base......and climbing Stiver's Gully on talus as far as we could see.  Fortunatly we found a continuous snowpatch within ~800' of the river-bottom and began to skin (or boot, depending on preference) up the traditional hiking route.  We were lucky to have perfect weather.  As for wildlife, we saw goats and bear tracks while continuing up.  The conditions were crusty from the freeze-thaw temperature patterns.  It would make for good corn later if it warmed up enough.  After the fixed-rope section we started to see the dust-on-crust from last nights' precip and enjoyed soft skinning up to the summit-ridge.  The ridge section is in the sun and we had some difficulty with ice/rotten snow combinations as it was a high-elevation, south-facing face.  And it's so hot in the sun: cooker.

     Baked and fried, we reached the summit and were awarded with the views that Bold peak offers: Eklutna lake, Chugach mountains, Eklutna Traverse, and glaciers galore.  After oogling at the NW face potential of Bold, we skied from the summit back down (bucket-list check) on icy-conditions.  Not shortly after, we found sun-softened snow, merging to dry dust in the gully shadows.  We skied to the fixed-rope section and skied the LOOKER's/Ascender's left gully, or SKIER's right low route, totally avoiding the fixed-rope section with ease and keeping the skis on.  As someone who is fearful of heights, I strongly recommend taking lookers' left gully in the winter/spring.  This will spare you fixed-rope spice and give you a preview of the skiable route down with boot-able conditions.

     We skied down on suprisingly pleasant corn to our skin-up point and descended to the river valley from there.  I estimate we got 5000' of vert as iphone GPS can't read accurately in the gully.   After reaching basecamp, we bike out under more AK spring conditions.

     More vert than Pioneer?  Perhaps not this time.  Answering a burning question and accomplishing an objective?  Well worth it.

Bagging Bold

     So a friend had the Serenity Falls hut rented for the evening of the 5th and I decided it would be a good opportunity to attempt Bold peak.  The plan was to bike in after work in the evening since daylight would allow, sleep at the hut then climb and possibly bike out the next day or camp out if we were too tired/lazy.  Fl-ahoney, the new downstairs tenant, was itching to see the backcountry so he came with. 
     We biked in under a raindrop here and there, but overall dry.  The cabin host must have bailed because no one was there, maybe because of the rain on the 4th.  I was tired from work and went to bed.  We got up the next morning, ate some breakfast and biked to the trailhead, stashed the bikes and started hiking.  We ditched our non-essentials at the base of the creek leading up.  Mosquitos were thick.  The trail was easily traced up to Stiver's Gully and so the talus/scree ascent began.
     The ascent was alright: lots of scree and talus littered with uniquely colored rocks and dispersed wildflowers (a good variety), evidence of a sheep carcass but no skull for a prize.  The creek near the top was a nice water break.  We ran into a group who had camped up higher the night before, they said it had snowed at the top.  Snow in July, I love it.  The hand-rope section was thrilling but would be more so on the way down(my fear of heights).  There was a super-serene oasis of plant life and wildflowers above the gully where I could have just sat and been content looking at something other than rock, but we came for the summit.
     Did I mention there is a lot of rock?  We continued up the described route in the 50 hikes book without issue, just starting to feel the vertical in our legs.  Once on the summit ridge it was no problem.  I appreciated the broad peak, it allowed for some rest without perching.  Clouds were high enough to allow for good views.  It was considerably cooler than down below and there was a steady wind.  Low clouds came and went.  Sheep were visible down below.  Views of the big Chugach peaks were humbling, as well as glaciers, rivers and dramatic relief in general. 
     The descent was quick and easy, skiing down on scree, glacading? on some long snow patches considering it's July.  We decided it would be nice to make it back that night so we biked back to the car with a tailwind and clearing skies.  A great conclusion after a successful hike.





Biking from Serenity to the East Fork Trailhead.

Green relief for the eyes.


 

Stivers Gully.  Note the red/purple rocks.  Geologist, why are they like that?
 

 

Summit Ridge

 

Smudgy lens, intense effort by the pictured climber.

 

Bold peak on the evening Eklutna skyline, post-summiting.