Skiing Suicide Chute on July 7th, 2019

SnowBrains intern Martin Kuprianowicz shredding down Suicide Chute. Image: Martin Kuprianowicz

Location: Mt. Superior, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Date skied: July 7th, 2019

Ascent time: 62 minutes

Conditions: Glorious summer corn skiing

Music choice: Sublime’s “Everything Under the Sun” album

For the 7th of July, the snow on Suicide Chute couldn’t be much better. It was fast and corny and still very sendable even though the line is losing snow on the daily.

Loose rocks a plenty on the way up to the bottom of the chute. Image: Martin Kuprianowicz

You start at the base of Mt. Superior directly past the bypass road that runs along Snowbird’s base and begin bushwacking. Being the dead of summer, there is no snow until the entry to the line itself. To get there you have to navigate through a large field of loose rocks. This can prove treacherous in ski boots so hiking shoes are recommended up until you hit snow.

The boot pack up the chute. Image: Martin Kuprianowicz

After passing through the rock field you can put your boots on and start the boot pack up – the fun part of the ascent. You just boot pack straight up the ol’girl until you finally reach the cornice at the top that has been teasing you the whole way up as you get closer and closer to victory.

Then awaits a 40-degree pitch of nothing but corny goodness the whole 1,520′ vertical feet down. In the middle of July. What was that you said about an offseason?

Chute to Kill. Image: Martin Kuprianowicz