Couloir season

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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Scott P
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Couloir season

Post by Scott P »

What does everyone have planned? Couloir season is rapidly approaching.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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jaymz
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Re: Couloir season

Post by jaymz »

It's been almost 3 years since I've been out for anything more than a local open space hike, but this year I'm trying to get back in shape, lose the dad bod, and at least get Pacific's North, and possibly Dreamweaver.
"But in every walk with Nature, one receives far more than he seeks."
John Muir
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Jonathan Deffenbaugh
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Re: Couloir season

Post by Jonathan Deffenbaugh »

Couloir climbs are the BEST! This year's goals:

Longs Peak - Trough Couloir
Flattop-Powell Pk via Dragontail Couloir
Mt Sneffels - Snake Couloir
Ypsilon - Y Couloir (Left Branch)
James Peak - Shooting Star Couloir
Ice Mtn - Refrigerator Couloir
Apache Peak - Fair Glacier then hopefully a glissade down the east side

Anyone is welcome to join on these ventures, DM me if interested either here or on Facebook. Will most likely involve car camping the night before (i.e. on Fridays) in order to get an early start for these. Last year was a great year for couloir climbing. Here were my couloir goals accomplished last year. I would highly recommend these couloir climbs as well:

Mt Hope - Hopeful Couloir (great warmup)
Pikes Peak - Y Couloir (best way up Pikes; about 2,000 ft of snow climbing; definitely has an alpine feel to it; then a relaxing descent down the Barr Trail)
Grizzly Peak - North Couloir (best way up Grizzly; another great warmup/snow holds out the longest into July)
Arapaho Peaks via Skywalker Couloir (steepest/epic! 2 ice tools mandatory)
Cathedral Peak - Pearl Couloir (hidden treasure w/ a Class 4 move to gain the summit ridge after topping out)
South Maroon Peak - Bell Chord Couloir (top tier line in Colorado; ended up being the longest line for that year)
Castle and Conundrum via Conundrum Couloir (short and steep makes for the best Castle and Conundrum combo; also good with 2 ice tools)
Mt of the Holy Cross - Cross Couloir (#1, a true classic; would say the Cross and Bell Chord were the winners from last year)
a forest
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Re: Couloir season

Post by a forest »

Excited

I have monday/tuesdays off. Though if I'm back down to the flats by noon any other day I can make it work (I work nights)

I was at the headwall going up to sky pond the other day playing around

Trying to get my boot/crampon system dialed. Currently have vasak strap-ons to use with stiff snowboard boots or 3 season hikers. I just bought some nepal cubes though too (haven't taken them outside yet, still unsure on the fit - feel pressure on the outside of one of my feet, not toe related).
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justiner
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Re: Couloir season

Post by justiner »

Is the Edwardian Couloir on Mt. Edwards worth doing?
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Monster5
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Re: Couloir season

Post by Monster5 »

^If you're A) a skier or B) get your rocks off using the crampon/trailrunner combo. North face on Edwards is worthwhile.
"The road to alpine climbing is pocked and poorly marked, ending at an unexpectedly closed gate 5 miles from the trailhead." - MP user Beckerich
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aholle88
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Re: Couloir season

Post by aholle88 »

justiner wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 10:46 am Is the Edwardian Couloir on Mt. Edwards worth doing?
I climbed it a few summers ago after skiing the south face of grays. I don’t recall it being a very eventful or exciting climb, but it wasn’t a bad way to get up the mountain. I think I went and skied Lost Rat afterwards and then up Torreys and down the Tuning Forks. Was a good early summer ski link up. Mainly did Edwardian because the south face of grays meets up right at the bottom of it and it seemed like a neater exit back up than reversing the south face, plus I hadn’t been up Edwards before. I wouldn’t say it is something I would seek out as a climb if I had already checked Edwards off the summit list though. The north face would be a better climb if filled in.
colin j
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Re: Couloir season

Post by colin j »

I'm new to snow and couloir climbing (as well as posting in the forum) and recently purchased my first pair of crampons. I'm planning on some easy/moderate routes with relatively low commitment. I'm currently planning on the following

Angel of Shavano (if weather continues to look promising then May 6 to 8.)
Drift NW Bowl
Lackawanna
Queen's Way

Looking forward to hearing about everyone's plans so I can have goals for future seasons. If anyone else is in a similar boat or interested in these and looking for partners feel free to PM.
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Eli Watson
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Re: Couloir season

Post by Eli Watson »

Depending on who you ask, couloir season has already started :wink: We had a great day up X-Rated a couple weeks ago.

I've got the following on my radar this year:
Sneffels - Snake
Hagerman - Hagar's Way
S Arapaho - Skywalker

Gonna make another day-trip up Snowmass that I may just try to blitz out as fast as possible as a challenge. Once the road is open, I'm always up for another lap up Holy Cross Couloir.
People who are hardcore don't think they're hardcore. Marshall Ulrich, Fastest Known Podcast #85
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justiner
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Re: Couloir season

Post by justiner »

Monster5 wrote: Wed Apr 28, 2021 12:47 pm ^If you're A) a skier or B) get your rocks off using the crampon/trailrunner combo. North face on Edwards is worthwhile.
I feel seen.

May check out the N Face itself, although the approach is a bit more, uh: a bit more. Trying to find a righteous route up Edwards that's not just, "Go to Grays first", but there may not be one.
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SnowAlien
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Re: Couloir season

Post by SnowAlien »

I remember the north line on Edwards pretty steep, fun line. Kinda hard to see where it goes to the summit though, a bit of a maze.
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lodgling
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Re: Couloir season

Post by lodgling »

FYI, North facing in the direction of Edwards looked very sparse as recent as 4/18. There may be some more coverage since then but it would be pretty thin. I would save that one for another season.
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