judgment WO RD S & PH OT O : I RI S LA Z Z A RE S C H I
T
he first time I saw The Sliver Couloir, off of Nez Perce in Grand Teton National Park, I added it to my to-do list. Most people ‘our type’ feel that way when they see aesthetic lines like The Sliver. We patiently bide our time waiting for the right conditions to take shape. In late March it was looking like we could possibly give The Sliver a go. So I headed out with four friends in hopes of pow turns, knowing full well that the conditions might turn us around but not knowing that our actions would soon be scrutinized.
We arrived at Shadow Peak to see two other split-boarders already on their way up. We just waited, watched and ate lunch, letting time slip away. Instead of going straight up the gut, the snowboarders ascended the side on loose gravel and sugar snow – not the normal route for this line. Naturally, we watched and judged and could not figure out what they were thinking. Eventually they were in a position where they could not go up any further. Two-thirds up The Sliver, they dropped in and it looked good. Now it was our turn. It was about 1 p.m.,
which is late, but conditions were holding and the snow was cold. We did about six switchbacks and then began boot packing. The snow was so cold and deep it was more like we were digging through the mountain rather than going up. Wishing I could teleport my verts from my tulle box, it started to make sense why the riders before us took the experimental, untraditional route up the rocky side. Having their boot pack as an option, my group discussed if we should try it. The group split and a couple of us ventured that way for about 50 feet before
