Hey, Brad,
I don't have as much experience as the others who have answered, but I'll offer you some thoughts.
I'll echo what others have said about timing. The next week or so probably isn't the safest in that part of the state because of the amount of snow it has been receiving. Give the new snow time to consolidate and bond with the lower bed surfaces. Depending how warm it gets -- probably a week or two.
As far as how to get down -- you can either take the Grays standard route or glissade down from the Grays/Torreys saddle. There usually is a safe run-out, so a lot of people do it. When you're down at the bottom (if you glissade), try to stay as far away from Torreys as you can, though, as the walk out crosses a few slide paths.
You'll want to start as early as possible to get to the bottom of the couloir before the sun hits it. I believe Lost Rat is east-facing, so it will start to soften quickly once the sun hits it.
Other things? Definitely go with someone who has couloir experience. You have the equipment; like Rob says -- just make sure you know how to use them. If you're going with someone else, practice putting on your crampons beforehand. Sometimes they can be confusing and a partner might get frustrated if you take too long. If you haven't used them before, go out to St. Mary's Glacier and walk up and down the snow with them on so you can get used to how they feel on your feet. Know the basics of self-arrest. A lot of people go out to SMG for practice, so maybe you can watch how they do it. Better yet -- offer to take someone with good experience out for a beer or something and have him/her show you how for a few hours. Watch the forecast for the area for several days before you go. Don't pay attention to only the numbers; there are a lot of factors and none of the forecast pages on 14ers.com is at the summit elevation (some come close, but none are for 14,000 feet or above). Consider that if a forecast is for, say, 12,340 feet, and it's calling for 10-15 MPH winds with gusts to 25 -- they might be 15-20 MPH stronger at the summit. Pay attention to which direction the winds are blowing
from in the forecast. Most of the winds in Colorado blow from the west, but there are occasions where it will blow from other directions. If a wind is blowing
from the northwest, the east and southeast aspects may have a lot of soft, wind-deposited snow to contend with that can also present a danger. Generally western aspects are the safer approaches and eastern aspects will have cornices (if any). The forecast summit temperature is also going to be lower. Avoid bulletproof snow on steep slopes. While it may be fun to walk on with crampons, you can't really kick steps into it and self-arrest is a lot more difficult. Pay attention to what's above and below you. If you slip and fall, are you going to hit that outcropping you just passed? Look for evidence of past slides and choose a route that keeps you out of that path the longest. And, like Mike says, take avalanche awareness courses.
At any rate, these are just a few pointers from someone who is still learning. There is a lot more for me to learn still, but I've picked up on a lot these past couple of years (this year, especially). I would not feel comfortable taking someone out at this point, but perhaps in another year or two I can start to pay-it-forward -- an homage to those who have helped me get this far.
Mountain_Ninja wrote:I have crampons, snowshoes, avy beacon, ice axe, gps, etc.
I also will only go if the weather looks like a decent day, 30% chance of snow or less, light wind, nothing harsh in the forecast.
My questions are:
1) Avy danger: Would it be too early if I were to shoot for this as early as next week (4/25)? If so, when is it more safe? How dangerous are couloirs like Lost Rat?
2) How would you come DOWN from this route if you're not a skier? (I know, I need to learn to ski...) I may or may not hit up Torreys too.
3) How early do I want to start? Is the snow better/easier to ascend earlier in the morning/day because it's more firm?
4) If I haven't done a snow couloir before, what other things should I consider for safety & success?
