Y-Not Couloir, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, 1/16/09

[redalienx11]

Due to the lack of any new snow in the past week and the stable snowpack, my buddy and I decided that we should go ahead and attempt one of the lines that has been haunting us for a while now: The Y-Not Couloir.

As Andrew McLean states in his guidebook The Chuting Gallery, "...“Y not? A 40' cliff in the middle of a 45° slope is one good reason! This is the Y Couloir on steroids. Shorter, steeper, narrower, and scarier by far.
An out-of control fall would lead to a graphic death as the victim pinballed down the chute, over the cliff, and was torn to bits in the rocks below...A 100' rope will just make the rappel (doubled) and crampons and ice axe are recommended.”

Perfect.

Got an early start

We got to the top of the couloir in about 2 hours. it was a beautiful day with no clouds.
After assessing the snowpack, we skied the top half of the couloir. It was approximately 45 to 50 degrees.
Just over halfway down, we got to the cliff and took off our skis to safely approach the anchors. (Note little cottonwood canyon road far below)

Rapping

Safely off the rap

Another 1000 vert of steep soft snow to the road!

 

[cbcbd]

That's awesome! Some good ski mountaineering action... I've yet to have to rappel with skis on my back... would be cool

 

[marcski]

Nice report!! I've looked up at that couloir as I've driven up/down the canyon road....

Intense pics of the rappelling down the cliff.

 

[snoseek]

Bravo!!!

 

[kingslug]

Makes what I did ......seem pretty tame!!!

 

[Marc]

Daim it, I wish I was there.... I too would love to do some ski rappelling... what did you use for an anchor, it sounds like there some there already?

 

[redalienx11]

two bolts on skiers left just before the cliff. slung with some new looking cord/webbing

 

[Marc]

Nice... what was the average width of the upper and lower sections of the couloir?

 

[roark]

wow, I just got vertigo from some of those shots. Awesome.

 

[redalienx11]

the upper 1/2 was super wide (30+ feet)
it then choked down to the cliff where it was about 10 feet wide.
after the rappel, it gradually widened again.

average slope angle above cliff = around 45
below cliff = approaching 50

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

nice..way to go after it

 

[JD]

Super sick!

 

[Trekchick]

Very Cool!
Thanks for sharin!

 

[gladerider]

wow super sic