Ski Grizzly Couloir
This trip was a ski that I’d wanted to do ever since I saw it from the top of Independence Pass. My friend Brad was up for the adventure, so we headed out last week.
From Hwy 82, take Lincoln Creek Road to Grizzly Reservoir. The trailhead to Grizzly Lake is up on the left and pretty obvious. If you see a campground, you’ve gone too far. It’s a great place to camp if you are planning an early start.
Hike up to the lake, about 3.5 miles. Go left around the lake and then climb. The early season could involve a skin from much lower than the lake. Summer skiing is all boots. Bring crampons and a mountaineering axe. It is about 45 degrees, and a fall would not be good, especially if the snow is hard. Expect the snow underfoot to be variable. The couloir holds snow because of northern exposure, but the sun hits it irregularly. We found really horrible snow up high, sugar snow that I punched through to rock. Not good. Midway down, the snow was soft and smooth. It then deteriorated into suncups and the usual tough to ski snow that we find in the Colorado mountains in summer.
Brad made a video, go to Instagram, and enjoy it! He did an awesome job.
