best couloir in north america?

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12-09-2005, 12:46 PM
alpinepronghorn

edit: deleted because i'm an idiot. North America...got it.
12-09-2005, 12:47 PM
Mountain Freak

Dead Dog... (On the right)
12-09-2005, 12:50 PM
Phatstix

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
12-09-2005, 01:14 PM
Mountain Freak

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
12-09-2005, 01:16 PM
Yonder_River

Quote:

Originally Posted by iskibc

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.

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!
12-09-2005, 01:22 PM
Particle

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
12-09-2005, 01:24 PM
iskibc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yonder_River

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!

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.
12-09-2005, 01:35 PM
420Powderpimp

San Juaquen (AP?) chute outside of Telluride. Access from Ohir. It is the shit.
12-09-2005, 02:10 PM
MakersTeleMark

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.
12-09-2005, 03:25 PM
bbirtle

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.
12-09-2005, 03:25 PM
2steep2tele

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
12-09-2005, 04:17 PM
marshalolson

http://firstchairmag.com/images/feat...905/gothic.jpg

:fm:
12-09-2005, 04:24 PM
Trackhead

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strider

Ellingwood couloir on the Middle Teton, or the Northeast couloir/Molar tooth couloir on the Grand Teton. Larger pucker factor associated with these two.

You mean the Hossack-McGowan on the Grand?
12-09-2005, 05:18 PM
freshies

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huckwheat

Red Slate is the best Coulouir I have skied.

Probably not Moran worthy....but one of best in Sierras.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...n/RedSlate.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1.../RedSlate2.jpg

PS--I stole these pictures from a thread awhile back.....my picts were non digi from 2000.

Red Slate rocks :yourock: :yourock:

I also like Dana, is a classic
12-09-2005, 06:03 PM
gramps

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.
12-09-2005, 06:11 PM
Mex

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.
12-09-2005, 07:58 PM
covert

Quote:

Originally Posted by Core Shot

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.
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).

10/4 couloir skiing is unique particularly because of those rock walls on either side. that is precisely what makes it special.
12-09-2005, 08:22 PM
covert

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
12-09-2005, 08:38 PM
Endlessseason

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).
12-09-2005, 10:09 PM
Hacksaw

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
12-09-2005, 10:22 PM
BradyCU

It is absurd that no one has mentioned the Jackson Hole Wy. town Couloir somewhere between 5,000-65,345 vertical and 65-23 constant pitch until you ski into the creek at the bottom.

http://static.flickr.com/34/71960700_c95a73e41f_o.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/34/71960687_2c67c6a2c2_o.jpg
12-09-2005, 10:24 PM
Zeedashbo

mt. buckner n. face col. been skied maybe a couple of times. once that i know of.

http://www.sverdina.com/images/forbi...orbidden14.jpg

ice cliff colouir mt stuart
http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/.../ICCouloir.jpg
12-09-2005, 10:30 PM
Buster Highmen

fight!fight!fight indeed. A superb troll, multifluous and faceted, deep and cutting.

Too many conditions, though. It's only a mirror.

N. Cascades are so rich. So is Cooke City, Montana. And the T-Juanas. And Koots. And the melilfluos folds of the Sawtooths. The blood of christ range. Not to mention the spine of fire from Baker to Shasta++.

I'm no judge, there's shitloads way better, only a cheap acolyte.
12-09-2005, 11:33 PM
Blurred

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOHSHSIHd

hey bro...you ever gonna be in summit this year?

He'll be up skiing with us on Sunday after he gets done telling stories on the internet about Joe Beater that aren't true!:fm: :fm:
12-10-2005, 06:49 AM
shera

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlurredElevens

He'll be up skiing with us on Sunday after he gets done telling stories on the internet about Joe Beater that aren't true!:fm: :fm:

I heard Joe skied the whole thing switch. :D

Seriously, I think he did straightline from the choke on down. He's retarded that way.

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