Argenta

The 2010/11 shred season has gotten off to a blazing start with tons of days in the backcountry already logged. My touring partners have been carrying their big camera bags lately so I've been really bad about shooting photos and especially updating this site. Zach Clanton has been killing it with the shots so far, check out his site for the goods and be sure to bookmark. Went out last week just before this last major storm cycle hit with London, JP Gendron, Mike Craig and Tom Ghelli for a little walk and I remembered my camera this time. Check it out!

London is pretty pumped to go for a big walk

After a 2 hour walk we saw the objective, time to boot straight up that chute

London just kickin' it about halfway up our upper line

And pausing for a look around just before topping out on Kessler Peak

A different look at Mt Raymond from across the canyon

An overcast day makes for some pretty black and white imagery

Made it!

Me and London hamming it up with Superior and the top of Snowbird in the background

All those thousands of steps paying off for London

Air time!! Since she's only 5' tall that must be at least a 20 footer! Haha...

Mission accomplished and another line ticked off the list

My Mind is Going Through Them Changes...

My same old seasonal conflict is upon me. I don't want to stop riding bikes yet but I know that the snow is just around the corner no matter how hard I deny it. Not that I have a problem with that, it just takes me a minute to get on board (so to speak). But seeing so many homey's so stoked on winter coming around kinda got me in the mood so when I got home form the bar tonight I threw this little edit together of a fun day of shredding with Ian Provo. Not the gnarliest terrain or the deepest snow, just a cool afternoon of backcountry fun.

Hot Fun in the Wintertime from Nathaniel Gauthier on Vimeo.

Dog Daze

Well, looks like the hottest days of the year so far coincided with my busiest week of work. I know, the temps in Park City are nothing compared to Salt Lake but, it's still pretty hot up here. Finally got a day off and decided to head to the high country to get out of the heat. Fun day trying to find our way around an old trail I hadn't ridden in nearly 10 years, Tara Humarrah for some unreal human fuel, a dip in the hot springs and a nice sunset drive over Bonanza Flats back home. That was a nice day.

Still some wet spots out there up high, this guy was grabbin' a drink

Lots of this. No bike tracks anywhere.

London grinds it up

Surprised these girls and a bunch of their cousins. Definitely a bull lurking around somewhere by the number of little ones running with them

This guy was on the trail...

...and this girl too

A-May-Zing

Wow. I've been bad-mouthing Mother Nature all season long but she sure has given me a double helping of shut the fuck up this Spring, especially in May. With my work schedule on "shoulder season" status I've been able to act on nearly every opportunity. Blessed.

Here's a little batch of photos from the month of May, click on 'em to get a better look.

It hasn't been just all backcountry this Spring, plenty of laps at the Bird thanks to LungieLand and his mom

Been cruising around Alta with London and Brant a lot, nice to have a tour guide in foreign territory

London has been charging it toughly this winter

Hmm... that's weird

These late storms have been making for some beautiful conditions

Silver Bullets are delicious

Gotta love it when your truck looks like this coming out of the bar after a full day of touring

Unreal how green it is down in the Valley

I've done countless runs down this but never with the entire Cirque untouched. Magic.

Took a trip to Idaho, the mountains there look like the teeth on a saw or something...

This is what your room ends up looking like when all you do is sleep and dry out gear there as you pass through

Back from Idaho one night and right back on it with Andrew Miller. There was no one around anywhere this day, people are over it.

London got this for her birthday... and a bunch of out of state beer

Hmm... guess they were bummed we tracked the Upper Cirque on that last cycle, hehe...

Happy Birthday London!

Gotta get it while the gettin' is good this time of year

Zach Clanton breaking trail across the Scary Traverse

Had to poach this shot of me that Clanton took, dropping in at 8 am, May 25, 2010

Yup, that's powder, and it's almost June

I love it up here

Our lines down the nose on the far right from the Black Knob and sneaking through the rocks down low

This slide happened just as we were driving away, a sign of how incredibly late in the season it really is!

Cinco de Shred

With yet another late season storm in the Wasatch (7 feet in 4 days?!?!) it seemed appropriate to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a little "Cinco de Shred"! Ian and I went out with special guest London riding shotgun on my sled for a few thousand feet of mariachi goodness down a slide path as smooth as a Mexican brew. I wasn't planning on making an edit until about half way through the day but this is what I came up with. Odelay holmes!

Cinco de Shred from Nathaniel Gauthier on Vimeo.

April Foolz

Back in the day April Fools used to be a big deal at the Bird. That all went south when word got out what a great party it was. Soon a once locals only event got overrun by valley dwellers with no respect for the mountain. After a few unfortunate events Snowbird banned all costumes on April 1 forever. However, there are a few die-hard old schoolers that still celebrate on the down low. Come take a couple runs with London, Grease, Deadlung, Danky, me and a whole bunch of other Bird Locs. Special thanks to Rebecca Wisot and Dick Bass! Hahaha!!!

April Foolz from Nathaniel Gauthier on Vimeo.

Going For a Ride

Man, winter finally decided to show up in the last week and I've been doing my best to take advantage of it while it lasts. The snow has been great but while out for a day of sled-n-shred with Porter and Jess I had a close call. I was riding a small wind loaded chute when the whole thing released and took me with it. I rode the whole way with the debris but managed to stay on top, got spit out the bottom, came to a stop uninjured and unburied but it definitely got my attention. I wanted to put an edit of the whole day together but haven't had a chance so check out a quick look at going for a ride in an avalanche. Be careful out there....

Close Call from Nathaniel Gauthier on Vimeo.

Wolverine Cirque Circus

The other day, actually just after my 2nd lap in Wolverine Cirque, my friend Dudley Campbell called me. He asked me where I was and laughed when I told him. Apparently some of my friends have been getting a chuckle lately, joking that I am having a "mid-life mountaineering crisis". Haha, very funny, but not quite. I like to think of it more as a "mid-life mountaineering renaissance"!

Anyway, went for yet another dawn patrol on Sunday with Snowbird locs Forrest Gladding, Tyler Anderson and Travis Wade up to Wolverine Cirque. Four laps in the fantastic North facing bowl and one run out Patsy Marley back to the trucks was a damn full day... on the Plaza with a 12er by 2pm....

First rays of light peek over my shoulder and find the face of Mt. Superior

Tyler, Travis and Forrest topped out on Patsy Marley as the sun came up

Stayed nice and cold up high, the boys bundle up and scope our first line

Forrest Gladding earned his first turns before dawn

Forrest, Travis and Tyler, back up the boot-pack for Lap 2 and looking at some bigger lines

Forrest Gladding drops into lower Big Bang, Wolverine Cirque with Tyler Anderson waiting in the flats

Travis Wade slashes his own line down Big Bang, Wolverine Cirque

Boot-pack to paradise. This thing is way steeper and way longer than it looks from here and we stomped it 4 times

We had two laps done before the Alta hippies even started getting to upper Supreme

...and another lap. Tyler, Travis and Forrest push back up to the ridge.... again.

Little Cottonwood with the Salt Lake Valley below

Mt Superior looming over upper Little Cottonwood Canyon, we were there a week ago

I had a minor memory card issue with the GoPro on this adventure so no helmet cam shots. I did shoot some video with the G9 so check back for an edit soon and go peep Forrest's blog!