Tweto's North Face & Crack Couloir
TH: South Side of Fremont Pass - Highway 91
8.9m - 3000ft - 5hrs 30minutes
Tweto 14ers.com Page
Partners: Aaron Wiener, Ryan Beard, Nick Wright, Jesse Villines, Alex Neal, Stanley Vrba
Aaron had been talking about The Crack on Tweto all season. On March 29th (just a few weeks before his death) Aaron, Ryan and I decided to give it a shot. However after skinning to the base of Tweto we realized that The Crack, North Face and saddle with Arkansas were too wind loaded to safely climb or ski. So after skiing some low angle pitches in the gulch, we called it a day and vowed to come back later in the season. Unfortunately this trip would not happen.
In honor of Aaron... Jesse, Nick and I returned on May 16th to ski The Crack. We were greated with stable spring conditions and had a great day sharing memories of Aaron and calling his name to the watchful Black Crows that circled above.
On March 28th of 2023 Alex (Junior), Stanley and I returned to the zone to take a look at Buckskin's north face. Unfortunately none of the ski lines on Buckskin were in. Instead, we climbed a north facing couloir on Tweto that deposited us on it's east ridge (class 2). After summitting Tweto, we skied a line on the north face that is just west of the Crack Couloir.
This gallery contains images from all three outtings.
7.5 miles 3000ft, 5 hours 30 minutes - Including a scout of Moonshine Couloir on Arkansas
Aaron breaks trail in the unofficially named 'Arkansas Amphitheater'. Buckskin's north face front and center
Aaron flashing his classic smile that always raised the stoke level a notch or two.
Aaron happy to be in the mountains with friends and skis
Lookin good and making good time(s)
Aaron & Alex forging ahead. The Crack, in full view, drops to looker's left of Tweto's summit. The north face line drops straight down from the summit.
At this point Aaron, Ryan and I had decided against climbing Tweto. Aaron stoked to explore for lower angle turns. Bucksin's north face behind.
Jesse and Nick eye the Crack. We would skin to the saddle ahead and scramble up Tweto's north west ridge to the summit (class 2)
Almost to the saddle. The skinning was steep... booting was an option
Junior putting in steps on a north facing couloir that leads to Tweto's east ridge
Junior loves boot'in coolies
Stanley takes a turn out front enroute to the east ridge
A view north from the couloir
A^2 with Democrat behind
Stanley on Tweto's east ridge
Junior close to the summit. Buckskin behind
Jesse about to drop The Crack. Make of that what you will :-)
Stanley testing snow stability on the north face
Junior descending the north face
Junior
Stanley
Stanley
Alex in The Crack hahaha
Alex in The Crack
Stanley on the apron of the north face
Junior on the apron of the north face
Looking back at our line
Buckskin's north face - Looks like a hellava line if it had snow!
Stanley and Junior with Tweto behind
Heading to take a gander at Moonshine Couloir on Arkansas