Conundrum Couloir

Colorado peak questions, condition requests and other info.
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TheRealRooster
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by TheRealRooster »

No info to add unfortunately, but I'm also interested in this as well as Castle N. Couloir. Hope you don't mind the piggyback.
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Gueza
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by Gueza »

Even in the worst of snow years, and well into the summer, that couly is typically in. I’d imagine the coverage is great right now, and will be great for the rest of the spring - just gotta manage your way around/over the cornice at the top. Can’t speak about the current avy or ski conditions though...
Good luck breeds bad habits.
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Scott P
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by Scott P »

I don't know what current conditions are, but I did the Conundrum and Castle Couloirs in April. Both had good conditions.

Couloirs aside though, you really have to watch the approach as it can be really prone to avalanches. If you climb those routes as early as April, what you want is a cold period immediately after a warm period. This will freeze everything up and make it stable.

Also, it might be easier to both ascend and descend the couloirs too. The col between Castle and Conundrum can be really corniced and almost vertical.

You probably know all this though.

You probably know this too, but even after the snow has melted off the lower slopes, the gate is still closed near Ashcroft and has to be walked. It is pretty annoying to walk a dry road, but just be ready for this. You sound like you are in great shape, but an overnight trip is better for most, because of the road closure. You might pull it off in a day.
I'm old, slow and fat. Unfortunately, those are my good qualities.
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lodgling
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by lodgling »

We did it with a bivy just after the Pearl Pass turnoff and got in Conundrum and Castle. The different aspects make it good for a twofer. Just be careful linking the top of Castle to the N couloir as it will have been cooking for awhile.

I highly recommend planning to top out on Conundrum just before sunrise:
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Here's Gueza in the bottom half of the inning:
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Oh, and Conundrum is the one on the right when you top out. I think it is mislabeled on some maps. It takes some creativity for the summit ski.
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by TheRealRooster »

Thanks for the beta gents! CaptCO, will let you know if we end up shooting for Castle/Conundrum. I'm unfortunately a flatlander these days, so I have to pick a weekend (4/15-18) and make the most of time and conditions. We'll have a number of things on the radar - will let you know if we head that way.

Who knows if my skiing is even up for Conundrum? I think I got in 12' vert in my backyard this winter, ha.
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by BillMiddlebrook »

CaptCO wrote: Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:26 pm Sounds good and no worries! It’s only my first season snowboarding, I just tend to learn quickly (with a serious background in skateboarding). Cheers!

Alec
Alec, quick learner or not, Conundrum Couloir is a fairly steep line and a fall would be unpleasant at best. Especially if you end up in there with firm snow conditions.

How steep? Well, it's steeper than Quandary's Cristo and North couloirs and Torrey's Dead Dog Couloir.

Be safe.
"When I go out, I become more alive. I just love skiing. The gravitational pull. When you ski steep terrain... you can almost get a feeling of flying." -Doug Coombs
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lodgling
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by lodgling »

BillMiddlebrook wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 8:25 am CaptCO wrote: ↑Thu Mar 25, 2021 7:26 pm
Sounds good and no worries! It’s only my first season snowboarding, I just tend to learn quickly (with a serious background in skateboarding). Cheers!

Alec
Alec, quick learner or not, Conundrum Couloir is a fairly steep line and a fall would be unpleasant at best. Especially if you end up in there with firm snow conditions.

How steep? Well, it's steeper than Quandary's Cristo and North couloirs and Torrey's Dead Dog Couloir.

Be safe.
Wise words, Bill. If you want to ease into it, the N couloir on Castle across the way is a bit more forgiving.
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by aholle88 »

I climbed Conundrum col in June of my first year snowboarding steeper backcountry lines (includ. DD), and said heck no to going down. To echo Bill’s comments, it’s quite a bit steeper and not a place I wanted to be even on decent corn. I ended up riding Castle’s N col that day which was very pleasant descent. That late in the year, was able to drive up pretty high and not have an agonizing approach for just 1000ft of climbing/skiing which was a nice bonus.

Start mellow, work your way up to the big stuff. My first year, I rode easier terrain like Quandary’s bowls, Sherman, Cristo, then up to the lavender on sneff, Lindsey N col, la plata N col. All that was dandy and a good progression, was never really puckered at all. Ended up on DD late season in good corn, absolutely terrifying for the first couple of turns but then once I knew I could do it, wasn’t too bad. I think Conundrum was the week after that and I still wasn’t ready. Just to give you an idea of what it’s like. The next year, worked up to steeper and steeper, eventually doing Drift’s NW face and Torrey’s east face (both of which were pretty daunting making the first few turns). Now, I don’t even care about those types of lines. It’s funny, I was talking with a buddy whose done all kinds of crazy in the BC as well and we both are in the same boat. We did those lines, we know we can do them, and we really don’t have any desire to do stuff like that again. It’s just unnecessary risk when you can ski more fun (type 1 fun) lines without as much of that risk factor (I.e. stuff like La plata N col, quandary N col, any of the routes on Torreys besides the east face, etc).
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by d_baker »

Are those same partners boarders that saw you in action in your ~2 months of experience?
Have you ridden with anyone that has experience in the mountains on ski's or a board?
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by d_baker »

CaptCO wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:26 pm
d_baker wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:23 pm Are those same partners boarders that saw you in action in your ~2 months of experience?
Have you ridden with anyone that has experience in the mountains on ski's or a board?
Feel free to let this thread die, I’ll let you guys know if I get spooked off of conundrum or find a good ride 🏂
I was only asking a couple of questions.
They seem to me legitimate questions, and when I had more experienced partners, sometimes mentors, their feedback on what they saw of my abilities and or skill was good medicine.
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by d_baker »

However, if you prefer some snark from your biggest fanboy, let me know because I am fully loaded and ready. Lol
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aholle88
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Re: Conundrum Couloir

Post by aholle88 »

d_baker wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:32 pm
CaptCO wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:26 pm
d_baker wrote: Fri Mar 26, 2021 5:23 pm Are those same partners boarders that saw you in action in your ~2 months of experience?
Have you ridden with anyone that has experience in the mountains on ski's or a board?
Feel free to let this thread die, I’ll let you guys know if I get spooked off of conundrum or find a good ride 🏂
I was only asking a couple of questions.
They seem to me legitimate questions, and when I had more experienced partners, sometimes mentors, their feedback on what they saw of my abilities and or skill was good medicine.
Schralping the gnar with his balls out is clearly more important than responding to legitimate questions or listening to first hand advise from someone that was in a similar position some years back (at least as far as motivation goes). I do miss those days, but damn I’m glad I’m still alive!
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