Mount Superior

(Click on photos to enlarge)

South Face of Mount Superior

Across from Snowbird and Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon is Mount Superior (elev. 11,040 ft). You have the option of riding the north face into Big Cottonwood Canyon or you can shred the south face and get 3,000ft of bliss right to the road. Very few peaks in North America are as accessible as this one for snowboarding. In most places a peak like this would require hours or days just to access the base. Depending on snow conditions the summit only takes 3-6 hours.

Looking west with the north face of Mt. Superior showing. The fastest I have ever gone on a snowboard is straight lining the north summit chute in perfect powder conditions!

Looking up the south face from the highway. So many lines to choose from!


Ian Reilly and Jason Dodson take a gander down the south face from the summit.

Looking down the south face. I would do runs down this face to prepare me for the first time I went to Alaska. Very few peaks in the lower 48 can give you such a big open run that can simulate what you encounter in Alaska.


Ian shreds the south face.


Jason and Carlos hiking the ridge. Bring your regular board and leave the splitboard at home since most of the hike requires scrambling and bootpacking.

Carlos Lopez on the ridge at sunrise. It was brutally cold this morning, -15 degrees.


Jason Dodson on the summit.

Cardiac Ridge sunrise from the Superior ridgeline.


Shawn Boyle is a little gripped on his first trip to the summit!


Jason Dodson on his way to Suicide Chute.

Jason Dodson hiking up Suicide Chute on Mt. Superior. Jason also can claim Pinball Alley on Mt. Superior, one of the sketchiest lines to be had on the south face.

Micah Storer on the summit.

Micah Storer puts a line down "Edge of the World" on Monte Cristo, the adjacent peak to Mt. Superior. We had done Mt. Superior the day before and conditions looked perfect for a run down "Edge of the World". Upon summiting the next morning we were upset to discover that wind had played havoc with the line. Micah and Jason still wanted to ride it since we hiked all the way up there. Don't fall conditions!