Cold Fusion Couloir

After a year of waiting, I got another chance to conquer the Cold Fusion Couloir, a steep, snow-filled gully that leads up the north face of Northern Timpanogos (11,441'). I went on the hike last year, but didn't make it to the top. So I've been training and preparing for this hike since then.

After a scant 3 or so hours of sleep, I drove to our rendezvous at 106th South and then we carpooled up American Fork canyon to the Mutual Dell trail head. We started up the trail just before 4:30 am. The starry sky was glorious in the parking lot but before long we were in the forest and focused on only our next few steps as illuminated by our headlamps. After 70 minutes of climbing switchbacks, we came out to the level Forest Service road leads to the base of the couloir.

Lighter shades of blue stretched across the eastern sky as we snowshoed across the quiet landscape. The section behind us, where you see our tracks, is where the road crosses an avalanche field below some cliffs.

At the base of the couloir. The snow was pretty soft, so we decided to stick with our snowshoes (with ascenders up!) instead of strapping on crampons.

This shot gives a feel for the steepness of the climb, often 45 degrees or greater. This is about the place where I switched to crampons.

Trudging on up the snowy couloir, getting closer to the false summit.

Dan, Jake, and Christine, just after finishing the long ascent up the couloir.

Heading up to the false summit.

Snow, strong winds, and freezing temperatures combine to form dangerous swirls of snow and ice that are cantilevered precariously over the leeward side of the mountain. From the windward side, it just looks like the top of the mountain, but were one foolish enough to walk up to the edge to peer over, their weight could be enough to break the cornice free and tumble down the mountain, likely triggering an avalanche on the slope below. Well, two in our party were mere feet away from a cornice just as it broke off. Others told horror stories of having one break beneath their feet and leaping to safety or hanging on for dear life by their ice axe. Needless to say, we steered clear of the cornices along the summit ridge.

Coming from the false summit up to the true summit.

After about 5h15m of hiking, we were treated to some spectacular views of Timpanogos from the summit.

Our fearless leader, Michael Hannan, sets up his tripod for a group shot.

Group shot taken on the summit at 9:45am--when I'd usually be just waking up on a Saturday morning!

I made it! Hooray!

Coming back down the mountain. From this angle you can really see the cornices.



The descent involved lots of plunge stepping down the couloir in deep, soft snow. And a little glissading for fun every now and then.

At the end of the hike.

We nearly hiked right through a large herd of mountain goats. As we approached, they scrambled down the morraine to this patch of snow.

What a climb!

Uncle Bob was kind enough to fly out to Utah to take Tim and I on the trek up Mt. Timpanogos. We called him the night before to find out what we needed: lots of water, a lunch, snacks, a light jacket, and something with which to glissade (slide down the glacier). We stopped by some grocery store and stocked up on snacks, got bottles of water and gatorade, and after a little searching, decided on some kitty litter containers as lightweight sleds.

We were up bright and early at Barnard's, Bob came by a later than expected and we began the drive south to Provo canyon. I nodded off a few times in the back seat, until we stopped at a waterfall to take pictures.

At a waterfall in Provo canyon on our way up to the trailhead

A peak next to Timpanogos on our morning drive up the canyon

Around 9am, on the first big switchbacks up the face of a mountain to the northwest of Timpanogos

Uncle Bob and Tim take a lunch break

Beautiful waterfalls and snow bridge spanning the stream

A close-up of the same

Posing by the snow and waterfall

Uncle Bob getting some more water from the stream, "in case we run out" which we did. He and I drank it, the threat of Giardia notwithstanding. Better not to dehydrate, and we didn't get Giardia, thankfully.

We still have HOW FAR to go?! Look closely in the center, at the top of the ridge: that's the summit. If you have a magnifiying glass you might be able to find some moutain goats on the cliffs as well

A nice level walk alongside Hidden Lake just before getting to the glacier, our traverse across the snow, up the saddle, and final push to the top.

The only glacier in Utah, which we planned to glissade down on the right side.

Other mountains off in the distance. I believe Alta and Snowbird ski resorts are in these mountains.

Uncle Bob trekking along in the snow. I still can't believe I did the entire 13-14 miles in tennis shoes!

Tim and I plug along through the snow up to the saddle

Two more mountain goats

From the saddle, looking back over the hike we made through the snow. Look closely in the center of the picture and you'll see some fellow hikers.

We made it! On the summit of Timpanogos, looking out over Utah Lake and Provo Valley.

A look to the south from the summit. We decided against following this trail over to the top of the glacier to glissade back down and instead followed the same route we took up back down.

I believe this is to the North. Uncle Bob took this picture and a few of the others....

I scrambled down a little ways on the western face (what you saw previously with the little shelter on top, the "HOW FAR" one) to get in this almost aerial picture of the glacier and lake.

Here's another version, tilted up, looking out to Heber City and its resevoir further west.

A quick look back up on our way down. We cruised some kind of crazy fast (I even sprinted the last half mile just to make sure I beat my brother, Tim) because we were supposed to make it back in time for dinner at Aunt Janet's. We didn't, but the leftovers were great anyway.

Oh, here's my raggedy shoes after taking one heck of a beating! I tore off hunks of rubber on the soles and I should just say that they were grey, NOT brown, before the hike. I didn't think that even the folks at Goodwill would want them, so I threw them out!

A great cloudburst on our drive back to Salt Lake City.