On a solo venture on April 14, I carried out what was probably the first complete ski descent of Lincoln Peak (ca 9,100’, 48.76835, -121.85853) via the X Couloir climbing route on the peak’s southwest aspect. Lincoln Peak, a dark and jagged sentinel of Mt. Baker’s Black Buttes, is widely recognized as one of the “Difficult Ten” non-volcanic summits in the Cascades, due to its technical difficulty and remote nature. The summit pinnacle is a picnic table–sized platform with wild exposure all around, making it a precarious and energizing spot to click into a pair of skis. 

While accomplished ski mountaineers Aaron Scott and Dan Helmstadter had previously skied and downclimbed sections of the constricted chute systems on Lincoln’s southwest face, my descent marked the first time the entire route was skied from the summit. After a demanding climb, the descent required navigating extremely steep, technical terrain. I found the mountain in rare condition, which allowed for a continuous descent from the top—as much a feat of patience as it was of skiing.

—Eric Wehrly