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I kinda like SFB because I can see it from all over the county, a vertical slash of snow. Very pretty.
Coming in from the top is freaky, much tougher than the skiing. I'd like to do it again, from the bottom and see how fast I can sprint up with crampons. :D
Cool thread, although I have to say I don't have couloirs on my mind right now. Powder turns and hucks and teaching grommets over their Christmas holiday. :cool:
You always have the coolest ideas!Quote:
Originally Posted by KillingCokes
Awesome thread.
I was gonna add Diagonal Couloir near Jackson, but the pics from WYsplitride's awesome TR are no longer there:
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29091
Is there an acceptable definition of "Couloir"???
To me, an essential part of a coulie is having rock walls on either side of you, feeling the rock and the mountain envelope and enclose you.
A narrow ribbon of snow not surrounded by rock walls would be more of a "chute" to me.
Not sure where I got that distinction other than by observation of named routes.
I could be wrong. Just wondering if there is any consensus.
The french word "couloir" is actually the word for hallway, implying narrow with two walls, but when it was first used in mountain climbing in the 19th century, the meaning was more "passageway" (hey, I looked that up on the web).
don't know if this is technically a couloir or a ramp, but she's a beauty...
Meteorite
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic21395.jpg
Copyright: Odin
The Wire, Telluride
http://www.whitrichardson.com/images...e-wire-big.jpg
San Joaquin Chute, Telluride
http://216.250.243.13/discus2/messages/2508/3698.jpg
Snake Couloir, Mt. Sneffels
http://www.ourayclimbing.com/images/alpinesnake.jpg
^^^Those above me are the hot sauce, as was the Mt. Temple Coulior.
But SFB? Come on....that coulior is way too accessible in my opinion, may as well be considered inbounds, not too difficult and way too many people have done it. I personally enjoy exploring just about any mountain range in colorado during the late spring. There is just so much to be skied, so somewhere, anywhere from colorado gets my vote as long as its deep in the rockies.
Everything you say is a given. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by BRUTAH
But have you done SFB and then rode A Basin chairs and twisted your arm off from patting yourself on the back? :D
The proximity makes it a backyard run and that's pretty cool in itself. Don't you like to look around you at all the various lines you've skied? Your neighborhood lines?
Only 45 minutes from the city of sin; Elko,NV. Check out "Super Cooly" in the Track TGR Archives...
It's about freaking time this showed up!! I've attempted this monster twice only to get blocked by cliffs b/c of not enough snow each time. Never got into the upper part of this but it looks awsome. One thing though, there was more natural rockfall here than any other place I've been to. Nothing big but a constant rain of fist sized rocks every 30 sec. or so. Kinda unnerving to say the least.Quote:
Originally Posted by KillingCokes
Soooo many more eastside giants to list...
Everything in the Palisades (including one at entrance to S. fork Big Pine Creek I skied once)
Everything on Mt. Emmerson
Wahoo Gullies
the list goes on...
Ski what you see!!! I'm working my way down the front range. I've done about 3 of the 30 or so mountains I can see from my house. Almost there!!Quote:
Originally Posted by SheRa
Does anyone else feel so much more comfortable inside a couloir, rather than on an exposed ridge. I know I do, the rock walls are like a blanket of volcanic composition.
not really a col, but still long, fun and steepQuote:
Originally Posted by TOLOCOMan
from the summit go left down the ridge to the false summit, turn down and follow the avi path to the road.
4000ft of skiing.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/images/cascade.jpg
Its a bit of a stretch to call it the best in North America, but its definately the best one day-trippable from my house:
http://www.biglines.com/photos/blpic21758.jpg
I can't find a picture of it but University Peak (somewhere in Alaska) has a positively stunning line on it that was skied a few years ago by John Chilton and company.
I have to agree with Trackhead as well. Skillet Glacier. The new rule should be best couloir in north america that you have skied/snowboarded
Mt. Moran, Skillet Glacier
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_46919.jpg
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
My second favorite in north america is the Diagonal Couloir (2000 vert, 45-50 degrees, plus you have to worry about grizzly bears chasing your ass..I know from experience) in the Pinnacles (Wyo)
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
view from the top of Dcouloir:
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
the drop
http://files.colonies.com/UserData/7...x500_5_0_1.jpg
Ha, nice picture of Lance!Quote:
Originally Posted by Tap
Ellingwood couloir on the Middle Teton, or the Northeast couloir/Molar tooth couloir on the Grand Teton. Larger pucker factor associated with these two.
I hope John Scurlockdoesn't mind me grabbing one of his photos:
http://mk23.image.pbase.com/u14/nolo...0409051adj.jpg
This one on Swiss Peak in the Cascades looks pretty sweet, drops about 2000ft. Looks a little bony in spots, but he took this last spring, the worst season in 50 years or whatever.
surprised that Bell Cord hasn't shown up yet. Or did it, and I missed it?
Sweet coolie off N face of Grizzly over by Aspen as well. On the tick list for this spring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SIIHP
Does anyone have photos from inside SFB? Particularly the pinches? I'd like to get on this in the Spring and want to have a sense of the terrain.
Also, what's the best approach?
ive got some pics from the SFBs inside, but sadly none on digital camera, or a way to scan them onto the comp. The route is skiiable come march almost every year, there is one main crux in the middle where it pushes 50 degrees(that is if i know how to use my OLD inclinometer correctly), and is just wide enough to make turns. Ski patrol at A basin usually hits this line first with a group of 3-5 earlier than anyone else would tempt that avalanche death trap, so wait to see some tracks coming from the bottom unless youve got a whole lot of experience avi wise and the experience to make the decision on your own. you fall, you die so be careful.
PS- first descent was roped for the crux
Tracks in a couloir indicate that it's safe:rolleyes:
SFB is a fun ski. There are no technical moves once you get into the couloir and the average pitch is maybe pushing mid 30s. The crux is typically about 10-15 feet wide, so nothing to worry about. You can boot up it or climb up the looker's left shoulder to ridgeline. Traversing the ridgetop above is probably the most difficult part of the whole day. Ascent and descent shouldn't take more than 4 hours round trip. Really straightforward and basic. It looks much steeper and intimidating than it really is.
edit: deleted because i'm an idiot. North America...got it.
Dead Dog... (On the right)
Mt. Sopris - Laundry Chutes were fun last spring. I'm not sure they are the best in N. America by any means, but one of my favorites.
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_49078.jpg
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_49077.jpg
Spring 2005
http://www.biglines.com/photos/norma...ines_49079.jpg
Spring 2004
Not the biggest or baddest, but sweet coulies not the less
Lost Rat Couloir, Grays Peak
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...%20couloir.JPG
And the Goat Finger on Mt. Edwards
http://www.tetongravity.com/usergall...n%20summit.JPG
Quote:
Originally Posted by iskibc
Thanks for the beta. My first thoughts were that it would ski easier than it looked.
How much, on average, does the top fill in by March? Do I need to bring my rock gear to rap in? Is the upper ridgetop easy class III scrambling or would you recommend just booting up the thing? Thanks!
I've posted this before but oh well. Surprised no one's mentioned the 'ole Grunge...! Not sure the actual couloir is 1500' but it's not far behind.
March a couple years ago:
http://tetongravity.com/forums/attac...1&d=1134156071
June shot, it's the looker's right notch:
http://tetongravity.com/forums/attac...1&d=1134156071
The top is typically wind scoured no matter what time of year. No need to rap into the couloir. It's a fairly easy downclimb to the snow. There's usually a nice platform of snow to stand on for getting your skis on. I liked the ridgetop scramble because it added to the experience. Some nice exposure around the east side, mixed in with some solid rock. I would say easy class III, nothing more. Might be worth bringing an ice axe for added protection.Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonder_River
San Juaquen (AP?) chute outside of Telluride. Access from Ohir. It is the shit.
Question for you New Englanda's:
Has anyone skied Shoestring Gully on Mt. Webster?
Not too steep, but almost 3k of vert. Very slide prone when in skiable shape though.
OK it's not in North America, but you coulior freaks should check out this vid: http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...ight=marinelli --- more than 6000ft of coulier action on the Swiss-Italian border. Never more than 50 degrees, looks like a winner if the conditions are just right.
About the question in the forum about climbing, it's an easy but VERY long two day trek to the entrance of the coulier (involving 7000ft+ of touring uphill). My guess is they took the heli to capitalize on the short conditions window, so they wouldn't be completely finished before they even started, and hey when you're risking your life on something the $400 fee probably doesn't sound as bad.
No Montana love. Greywolf couloir gets my vote. Great views of the Missions, Swans, St Mary's Peak and Flathead lake. The penatly box is pretty high also. My right pole is pointed right at the top. Not a great picture, but you get the idea.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...108AbNG7hszatK
Quote:
Originally Posted by Strider
You mean the Hossack-McGowan on the Grand?
Red Slate rocks :yourock: :yourock:Quote:
Originally Posted by Huckwheat
I also like Dana, is a classic
Sweet thread. Moran is definitely the coolest thing I have skied. There are just so many beautiful lines in this thread, impossible to pick one.
Sweet Thread, Great idea. Mtnlion, I heard about someone skiing Cascade a few years back. Solid work.
I'd have to agree 3/4 at Moraine lake looks pretty nice.
10/4 couloir skiing is unique particularly because of those rock walls on either side. that is precisely what makes it special.Quote:
Originally Posted by Core Shot
my, my, my....sick pics
perhaps we should go global?
here's a little something, not the biggest or best but pushing 3000' to the road w/ a lift assist on the way up.
The Labyrinthe Mdz, AR. my, my, my...
Attachment 8839
I second the "Y" and throw in Big Sky's "Big Couloir" (and they don't even require any trekking, camping, or rappelling. Just good timing).
Wow! I can't believe that no one has said, "The Black Ice Couloir." The name allow send shivers up your back..... Sorry, I don't have a photo of it handy.
Any way, the Black Ice is between the Enclosure and the Grand Teton. I climbed it back in 79' and I was impressed (60 degree hard-as-nails alpine ice pitches, VERY narrow crux pitch section, screaming ass rockfall.... ). It was finally skied by Mark Newcomb and Steve Koch in 93'. I think they had to belay ski/snowboard it most of the way.
Flying around Baffin Island in May 99', I saw thousands of small, big and monster size couloirs. Baffin Island is a treasure house of first ski descents.... To bad its such a bitch to go there.
Halsted