Suicide Chute on 11,045′ Mt. Superior, UT. image: snowbrains

Report from June 7, 2022

I just got back to Utah on Sunday.

My plan in Utah this week is Main Chute, Pipeline, and Suicide Chute.

I decided to start with Main Chute today but as I casually rolled into Little Cottonwood Canyon at 9:30am, I noticed that Suicide Chute was starting to fall apart at the bottom.

I checked the forecast and today was forecast to be the coolest day of the week.

Suicide Chute faces East and gets a ton of sunlight and heat…

I shifted gears and went for Suicide Chute.

My car said 57ºF.

I was shocked at how green and lush this canyon is in the summer.

Impressive.

I started walking at 10am on twisted, ankle-breaking rocks and talus.

After 20-minutes I was grateful to be on snow.

The base of the chute is the narrowest bit and a cascade of water was beginning to take over.

I’m guessing that this lower part of the chute will be all rock and rushing water tomorrow…

I gleefully scrambled up the broken snow bridges, rock, and waterfall and marveled at its beauty and determination.

Once in the chute proper, I was pleasantly surprised to find the snow solid and supportable.

The remnants of an old boot pack guided me up.

Dropping Suicide Chute. image: snowbrains

One foot in front of the other for about 30 minutes brought me to the top of the chute.

Good, easy climbing.

The views west into the Salt Lake Valley were remarkable for their greenery and searing blue skies.

Waterfall that I skied around. image: snowbrains

I paid my respects to Daniel Rector and dropped in.

The turns were slushy, corny, and fun.

The snow was bumpy and dirty, but it skied great.

As the angle of the chute lessened, I picked up speed.

Stiff gusts of warm wind slapped me in the face and curled the corners of my lips.

There’s nothing quite like skiing in the summer on good snow in a ripping warm wind.

LCC and SLC. Suicide Chute. image: snowbrains

I felt alive.

I grunted and muscled turns right to the edge of the snow where the waterfalls began.

1 minute and 30 seconds of full-on chute skiing in great snow were well worth the 1 hour and 5 minutes up.

I stumbled down the first 2 waterfalls and fought my skis back on.

I made 1 turn, snow-plowed, and straight-lined my way across a narrow snow bridge between the last, growing cataract and the sun-drenched rock on the right.

I blasted out onto the apron, slarved a big speed-check turn, and bounded downhill until the snow gave out.