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Skiing The Trough

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KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

Has anyone skied The Trough? I am thinking about it for next spring.

How long is the corn window (I realize it is entirely weather and snowpack dependent and varies a lot from year to year)?

Is it a 'Do or die couloir' ski descent? I estimated off of Google Earth that the average grade is about 45%. Would you ski with a self arrest ski pole?

Did you summit Longs before your descent?

Xam · · Boulder, Co · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 76

People do it relatively frequently. I did it in April, I think, 4 years ago. It was a big snow year that year so the approach step from glacier gorge was all snow. This step is supposed to be frequently moderate ice and/or mixed so be prepared to deal with that or enter on rock on the next couloir climber's left. Corn window was short on the day I did it...it softened up by mid-morning, so we turned around at between where the keyhole route enters and exits the trough and skied from there. Thus, we did not summit.

It is not that steep...well under 45 deg...maybe 30-35 deg?...seemed pretty mellow to me and very wide. Certainly less steep than Dead Dog or the Silver Couloir on Buffalo, for comparison. Maybe similar to the Notch couloir? But the runout can be bad if that bottom step has melted out. When I did it, the bottom section was the steepest part but short and all skiable.

Be careful though...seemed like a horrible avy terrain trap with an ideal slide angle if the snow has not consolidated.

In those days I was on a splitboard and rode with a short axe but it is really up to you what you might need for self arrest. Like I said, it seemed pretty mellow to me except for the approach step.

Edit: I got curious so I checked out the slope angle at hillmap.com . Looks like it is mostly 30-35 deg with the short bit at the bottom 40-50 deg . YMMV.

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

Xam, Thanks for your reply! 4 seasons ago was a big snow year...that winter Loveland Ski Area had well over 700" of snow! Good timing.

What would be the most efficient, to climb with crampons and axes or to climb with skins and Dynafit ski crampons?

Xam · · Boulder, Co · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 76
KevinCO wrote:Xam, Thanks for your reply! 4 seasons ago was a big snow year...that winter Loveland Ski Area had well over 700" of snow! Good timing. What would be the most efficient, to climb with crampons and axes or to climb with skins and Dynafit ski crampons?
We skinned in but booted up the couloir itself without crampons. You might have better luck setting a skin track...it seemed a little too steep to skin for me but I am not super talented at steep skinning. You will certainly need to boot / climb up the initial section.
justin dubois · · Estes Park · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 525
KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

Thanks again Xam!

Justin, Awesome photo! It looks like late winter before the snow has consolidated. What was the avalanche risk?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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