Daily vert: 1700
Total so far: 2800
After last weeks semi successful trip to Cerise Creek we decided to try again... this time a little closer to home. I had heard from several noted sources (or read it on their blogs) that the Rethel Couloir can be a good objective early in the season. The thinking goes that the line holds snow all year, it's pretty high up and north facing so fills in early, plus the Wedgemont trail is actually easier earlier or later in the season when there is less snow.
At least so goes the theory. My ambitious agenda was for 3 hours to the base of the couloir, 2 hours up the couloir, 1 hour for lunch plus skiing, and 3 hours back down, for a total of 9 hours. Turns out I was a little off. It actually took us 3.5 hours to do the approach, 3.5 hours to get up (culminating in possibly the most consistently arduous 7 hours of my life) 1 hour for lunch and skiing, and 4 hours back down, making it closer to 12 hours in total. The walk back down the Wedge summer trail in the dark with frozen and slippery soil is not something I would wish upon anyone!
All in all this was another great day with around 1700m elevation gain, all of it boot packing. The only thing I would advise anyone else trying this route is don't try to cut a corner by heading straight to the bottom of the chute without going via the Wedge Hut. We attempted this on both the up and down and it wasn't worth it. It would have been much quicker to stay on the well worn summer trail, even thou it does take you a little out of your way.
Looking down the Rethel Couloir
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