5/3/2025 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/7/2025, By: Jonathan Deffenbaugh Info: Apron completely melted out, thinning out already, mainly on the left side which provides continuous snow climbing on the way, perfect boot packing conditions though, avalanche conditions were green, glissading was a bit dicey, had to zig zag going down the couloir. Brought an ice axe, crampons, helmet, and microspikes. |
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4/27/2025 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 4/27/2025, By: katielyons Info: The Grand is still "in," but it's going fast! The apron is somewhat melted out which presents a bit of unavoidable talus walking, but it can be kept to a minimum if you choose your line carefully. Up high, things are still pretty filled in, particularly on the skier's right side of the line. As far as the approach, there's about a mile of dirt before intermittent snow patches start. We found continuous enough snow to skin at about the 1.5 mile mark (though it's getting thin in places) |
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4/15/2025 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 4/18/2025, By: spoony Info: Road is dry at the trailhead right off the highway. Snow begins about 1/3 mile up the trail/road. I got a late start (left the trailhead at 8:45 am) expecting cooler temps and clouds, but I was able to skin up into the couloir on firm snow for a ways before I switched to ski crampons as the angle increased. I switched to boots and crampons (which weren't really necessary) at around 13,000. Snow at the top of couloir was still firm and scrape-y when I dropped in a little before noon. It softened to nice soft corn a few hundred vertical feet down. The snow down in the trees degraded pretty quickly on the way out. Skis were nice to have to avoid sloppy, wet postholes. Today's refresh of snow should help keep snow connections around for a little while longer, but snow was getting a bit thin in spots lower down in the couloir. Quite a few tracks and people for a Tuesday. |
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5/30/2024 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/30/2024, By: Wildernessjane Info: The Grand is still skiing really well. One could easily drive to the campsite just before the Boss Lake TH (I spaced out after this so I am not sure if you could get to the actual trailhead). We hiked up the road and started skinning as soon as you leave the road (though we could have started a little bit before this). Ski crampons were essential. We transitioned to boot crampons about halfway up when it starts to get steeper. The lower part of the couloir is melted out but you can stay on skis pretty far down if you hug the right or walk across the scree for a bit and hug the left. We dropped in at 10:30 and skied right off the summit. I have skied this four times now and these were definitely the best conditions (and latest) I have skied it in. |
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5/20/2024 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/20/2024, By: Tony1 Info: Climbed and skied Grand Couloir on 5/20. Snow was firm for the ascent from 7:30-10:00 and there were a couple of good bootpacks up the top 1000 feet. Dropped at about 10:45; the top 200ish feet was still frozen, but plenty of corn below that. Sharks starting to lurk in the lower part of the apron near the road. |
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5/19/2024 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/20/2024, By: SCinthehouse Info: Great day. Windy forecast was 25-35 out of the west with gusts to 45 but the main gully was fine for the most part. Consolidated corn until about 12,500' then punching through on bootpack, seems new snow hasn't quite consolidated up high at that aspect. Was corned up for entire descent, fantastic. |
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4/21/2024 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 4/21/2024, By: Anima Info: some of the lower parts of the Grand Couloir are beginning to thin out. Upper portion should remain filled in for a while. Nearly continuous snow from the trailhead, only had to walk a few hundred meters on dirt. Traverse to Taylor was rather icy, crampons recommended. There were four skiers behind us in the Grand Couloir, and at least three other skiers who climbed up the southeast face. |
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4/13/2024 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 4/13/2024, By: katielyons Info: Continuous snow from summit to almost back to Monarch Pass |
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10/14/2023 Route: Via Ridge from Taylor Posted On: 10/17/2023, By: mjlucarelli Info: Snow on Taylor is mostly avoidable and not very deep. While most of the ridge was dry, when you get to the steep part of the ascent up to Aetna the snow was consistent, we put on spikes and wore them to the summit. It was deep enough in spots that gaiters would be useful also. |
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6/17/2023 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 6/17/2023, By: blazintoes Info: One skier and his dog had a grand time on Grand. Its in all the way. ~2000 of continuous snow. Continued to Taylor but visibility was bad. Felt like winter conditions today. Snow was pillowy and underneath the 4 inches of freshies was rain hammered snow. These conditions were tough to descend. Blue collar work. The skier chose the right tool today. |
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6/4/2023 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 6/6/2023, By: astranko Info: Road is walkable in sneakers. Low/no snow to ~12k. Great snow to ~13.6k. Climbers left is all that is in right now. Not worth a ski, but good for a quick day if you're in the area. Probably out soon. Fallen cornice is the steepest part, maybe 40deg-ish? Got in and out just before the weather hit. |
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5/6/2023 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/6/2023, By: LetsGoMets Info: Stable good snow top to bottom with an alpine start, was at the bottom of the Couloir around 5:15am. Snow was quickly warming up and getting soft around 9am. |
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4/30/2023 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 5/1/2023, By: ColdSnackKaaal Info: Conditions are great! |
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4/21/2023 Route: Grand Couloir Posted On: 4/24/2023, By: danrhoch Info: Started from Monarch Lodge at 6am. Part of the 4WD road is still bare so would recommend booting the entire route, since skinning can be a bit cumbersome on this ascent. Would also recommend crampons for the steeper pitch to the top. Weather was clear all the way to the top. Met a cold front coming in from the other side just as I summited around noon. Weather is still a factor as storms coming in from the other side aren't visible. Had to immediately transition and ski down. Snow turned from softening corn on the way up to a sheet of ice within minutes of summiting so ski conditions were not fantastic, unfortunately. Watch for cornices on the standard ridge that still hang out. |
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4/16/2023 Route: Hoffman Park to Taylor/Aetna Posted On: 4/16/2023, By: Geckser Info: Arthurspiderman and I followed the road up to Grand Couloir but cut North half a mile early to get into Hoffman Park. Skinned to 12,600 then booted up to the Aetna/Taylor saddle. Switched into trail runners and made the 50 minute round trip to Taylor and back. Put back on ski boots and crampons to ascend the firm snow up to Aetna. Crampons not necessary but were helpful. On top of Aetna we looked down the Grand and saw 15ish people skinning/booting up the couloir but fortunately no one had made any turns down it yet :) We had to very carefully ski the top portion to ensure no ice/sluff disrupted all the people still ascending. Felt so lucky to get first tracks!!! The snow was poor at the start but gradually got better. Quality wind buff up high and some corn down lower. Was able to ski all the way from the summit to the car although it was getting a bit slushy down low. Hope everyone got good corn on the descent . 4h 35m round trip. Awesome day but ski this line sooner than later. |
