Another week has passed here at SLU, meaning another set of incredible adventures have been had in the greater North Country area. The snow (and slush) rang with the sounds of gettin’ sendy, as outdoors-people skied, rode, and climbed! That’s all a little too much for our little column, however, so instead we’ll narrow our lens to a nighttime skin up Azure Mountain.
The evening of February 20th, a small squad of five left the Outing Club side-lawn for the serene peak of Azure Mountain. Their mission? Get in some sweet turns amidst the hoot-owl silence of the forest.
Azure is a small peak located in the northern Adirondacks, ordinarily a 40-minute hike in fair weather. Once this journey is completed, one is treated to a picturesque view of the surrounding mountains from either the bald summit or the handily-accessible fire-tower.
However, the onset of winter requires extra gear for ascension; gear like snowshoes, or in this case, skins. A ‘skin’ is a cover one puts on the bottom of one’s skis allowing for greater grip. Generally, skins are used in tandem with alpine touring (AT) skis that allow greater heel movement. At the top of a climb, skiers using skins will take them off and zip down what they just climbed.
Of course, the dark added a whole other element to this expedition. The way up was quiet, the snow soft and fresh. The quintet moved in near-silent unison under the crescent moon, described by trip leader Briggs Williams ’19 as “surreal.” The top, however, was a different story.
The sky howled and the firetower shuddered under the wind. Only two members decided to make the climb up its metal stairs, but the night obscured any possible view. This was a more eerie experience; trip leader Garrett Sopko ’19 recounts “I almost fell running down [the tower] in my ski boots. I was so scared.” Several members of the trip remember hearing the cry of the Sasquatch. It was time to head down.
The ski down was more reminiscent of the way up, again a hushed and beautiful experience. With the grace of swans, skiers glided down the trail through three inches of fresh powder. Eventually, the glow of their headlamps guided them to the parking lot a mile below.
Loading their skis into the cars, each member reflected on their experience. Trip leader Gunnar Nurme ’21 says the trip made him more excited to ski at night, especially in the woods. When asked for further comment, he said “it was dark.”
For those interested in such activities in the future, Nurme also posits that these kind of trips take a little experience. In order to get used to skiing in decreased visibility, he recommends skiing tracked mountains that allow skiers after dark, including nearby Titus Mountain.
In addition, Nurme recommends skiing your route in the daytime first, allowing for some familiarity. “Backcountry skiing is the best—it allows great skiing in untracked snow,” Nurme says. As the season continues on, getting out and doing things like backcountry skiing might seep to the back of one’s mind.
Still, getting outside is one of the best ways to beat off winter blues, and backcountry skiing remains a great option. However, so is skiing in the frontcountry— next week, Titus!
Interested in getting on the Outing Club Listserv? Email pceckh16@stlawu.edu for more information.