Azurite Peak, 2021

Last updated on Sep 8, 2026

A lot of times, when we’re planning routes, we rely on the trip reports of folks who’ve skied that terrain before. This time, my friend Ross and I wanted a route that we couldn’t find any background information on. A line where we’d have to piece together 3D mapping information and flyover imagery. Ross had had his eye on a couloir on Azurite Peak for a while. Neither of us knew if we it had been skied, or if it could be skied, but we decided to give it a shot.

Sneak peak at our camp for the evening. Samsung Galaxy S21 · f/1.8 · 1/39s · ISO 200 · 5.4mm
The inside of our fire shelter. Samsung Galaxy S21 · f/1.8 · 1/9s · ISO 1600 · 5.4mm
Sunrise over the southern Methow Pinnacles. Nikon D5300 · 18-140mm · f/5.3 · 1/100s · ISO 400 · 85mm
Sunrise over Hardy. Nikon D5300 · 18-140mm · f/5 · 1/80s · ISO 400 · 60mm
Relishing the warmth of the sun after one of the coldest backcountry nights I’ve had. Nikon D5300 · 18-140mm · f/13 · 1/640s · ISO 200 · 38mm
Dreamy conditions on the eastside of the crest. Nikon D5300 · 18-140mm · f/13 · 1/640s · ISO 200 · 52mm
Azurite Peak – our hoped-fore line did not go, but given a larger snow year, it would. Nikon D5300 · 18-140mm · f/13 · 1/640s · ISO 200 · 38mm
Ross scoping out the last good descent of the day. Samsung Galaxy S21 · f/2.2 · 1/3657s · ISO 50 · 2.2mm
Kristian M. Eschenburg
Kristian M. Eschenburg
Senior Data Platform Engineer

Data platform engineer in Seattle. Formerly MRI and machine learning research.