Couloir climbing questions

[cheeseburglar]

The Angel of Shavano is not a couloir, but it is a great snow climb.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned rockfall hazards in couloirs.

[BillMiddlebrook]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned rockfall hazards in couloirs.

Yes, sir!

Climb couloirs and you'll become familiar with the whizzing sound a small rock makes when it flies by you on a steep pitch. And the big ones? Well, hopefully you hear and see them coming...

[CookieMonster]

Watch Vertical Limit a few times. It will answer all your questions...

[Mike Shepherd]

The class was a lot of fun. The conditions were abysmal with 30 mph gusts and blowing snow. We worked on kicking steps, duck walking, front pointing and French technique with the rest step. Then he had me self arrest head first, both face down and face up, and then get first and face up, however all the new powder slowed down the speed a lot and I never felt like I was hauling ass. I repeated the self arrests in crampons as well. We then repeated all the footwork in crampons and worked on plunge steeping, and descending while facing in.

I walked on some snow at about 35 degrees and was surprised how unafraid I was. I can now see how those pictures look so crazy when in fact it's not that bad. Despite the wind and blowing snow it was one of the coolest days I've ever had in the mountains.

I would like to practice self arresting about 50 more times from different positions though to build muscle memory. The guide recommended St Mary's Glacier as a place to go.

I'm pretty pumped to head up a couloir after today. Has anyone got any idea on the conditions in the Juliet couloir in the Indian peaks wilderness area? Reading this snow climbs book it seems like a good beginner couloir and not very long.

[Dave_W]

Sounds like a good class...PM me if you want to hook up for Little Italy in teh new coupld weeks. I think I will make it my first this season, but also have Horseshoes Boudoir Couloir in mind. I got up there last year under perfect conditions, but discovered I lost my gloves at the base of the couloir...so I had to turn back. Wasn't about to climb it with bare hands...made a dumb move earlier in the day and didn't properly stash my gloves, they fell out somwhere on the approach. Really was a bummer!

[Mike Shepherd]

PM me if you want to hook up for Little Italy in teh new coupld weeks. I think I will make it my first this season, but also have Horseshoes Boudoir Couloir in mind.

PM sent. Thanks for the invite