Little Tin Cup peak to creeks

Jeffrey climbing back to Little Tin Cup peak with the majestic
peaks of the Southern Bitterroot in the background.

With spring finally here, we ventured into the Southern Bitterroot to ski long peak to creeks before the low elevation snow dissapears.  We left town at 5, and were walking before 7 am from the designated Tin Cup creek trailhead.  None of us had approached  Little Tin Cup creek from this side, but we just nosed our way up the open East ridge, and found our way into the drainage.  It isn't obvious how to cleanly transition from the ridge to the drainage during the approach, so we took a short run into the drainage and promptly got separated.  Fortunately, cool heads prevailed, and we were soon back together, climbing to the top of Little Tin Cup peak 9,617.  I had hoped to ski the South gully but wan't sure if we would be able to gendarme dodge our way west to the entrance.  Fortunately a short skis-off deviation had us poised.  We took our time skiing the South gully into Chaffin creek, and it was great fun with good corn.  The short pinch at the bottom was blissfully filled in, so the skis stayed on for the entire run.  After a long lunch and water break, we re-ascended through mid day muck snow.

Ned skis without gloves a lot, but I was impressed
as he styled the Little Tin Cup access run in a T-shirt.

Ned ascending Little Tin Cup peak.

Nice perch at the top of the Little Tin Cup peak to creek. 3,2,1 dropping.

Jeffrey skiing the Little Tin Cup peak to creek.

Feeling small at the base of the Little Tin Cup peak to creek.

You can't be tired yet! We still have two climbs, three ski runs and about a thousand down trees to navigate!

The East face of Little Tin Cup peak is a great moderate run off the eighth highest peak in the Bitterroot range.  I think it would be more sought out if the peak were simply named.  In any case, it was great to finally ski it.  Everyone was on board to use our extra time to make it a 10k day, so we spun a quick lap off the south side of the south side of Little Tin Cup point 9,265 before bumbling our way to the proper, cleanest Tin Cup chute entrance.

Jeffrey skiing Little Tin Cup peak.  The entrance to the Tin cup chutes is
off the other side of the ridge down drainage and in front of us.

Great skiing on Little Tin Cup peak.

Ned skiing our short bonus run off Little Tin Cup point.

The Tin Cup chutes were awesome.  It is the first time I have skied this 4,000 vertical foot monster peak to creek cleanly off the top.  The snow was great powder for the upper third, interesting but skiable bed surface for the middle third, and equally interesting but less skiable debris and mush for the bottom third, with a semi sketchy snow bridge across the creek to complete the adventure.  We fought intermittent snow and copious downfall all the way out to the car.  Fortunately, everyone just pounded it out, and we arrived at the car unscathed, with the exception of Jeffrey, who took an impressive scab-inducing tumble on slick rock slabs.  For stats, just over 10k vertical, done in about 12 hours car to car at the all day pace. 

Little Tin Cup chute, from the top. Photo, Ned Gall.

They let me go first!  Great skiing in front of El Capitan and the Como group.

Ned at the bottom of the Tin Cup Chutes.

Thoughts Really nice ski day.  Thanks to everyone for humoring me on this blueish collar tour.  It is tempting to call this link up highly recommended, but I will refrain since I think the length is a little out there relative to the ski quality.  I do, however, recommend a Little tin cup/Chaffin South tour, and the Tin Cup chutes, both as separate tours.  I also think that using our East ridge Tin Cup approach is a more elegant way to ski the Tin Cup chutes, as long as the touring party is capable of finding the tricky entrance and doing consequential avalanche assessment from the top of the chutes.