Mt. Guyot: Swan Dive

Guyot (13370') is known for the great intermediate skiing on its NW shoulder. But early in the season a spectacular line goes NE right from the summit (precisely: head NE on the ridge a very short distnace until you can look down the couloir). After skiing it with Janet Jacks, I named it "Swan Dive", since it drops into the Swan River drainage. Return to civilization by traversing back to the saddle and cabin in the main Guyot playground. Late in the season, this traverse can be pretty rough: it was for us, with some tough rock scrambling. Photo taken from Georgia Pass area about a week after Janet Jacks and I skied it, which was on June 27, 1999.

Bruce Edgerly and Brian Litz did this in late May 2006, starting from the Michigan Lake Road on the SE side of the mountain. After the descent they skied on to Georgia Pass, then making a loop back to their car. This might be a more efficient route for Front Range skiers. Climbing Guyot via the east ridge facing Georgia Pass (prominent ridge in photo) is straightforward. A 2007 trip report on this line can be found at <http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83201>.

On May 12, 2007, Bob Portmann, Jonathan Kriegel and I skied it. It was mushy, but not too, and fun to ski. However, there were avy issues with the ski back to the saddle, so we wound around a bit to the N side. Here is Jonathan approaching the summit, Baldy Chutes in rear.

Above is a nice shot of Swan Dive from Squaretop summit, May 31, 2008. Baldy is the prominent peak in center and Guyot is left of center. Democrat N Face in rear right. And below a slightly different angle from Argentine summit, May 28, 2009.