East Couloir

Overview

Great snow climb in absolute solitude 

Getting There

Route Description

Hike on North Rock Creek Trail to junction with Gore Creek Trail. Turn left (South) on Gore Creek Trail and stay on it until you reach the bridge across South Rock Creek. 

Now the fun starts. Most of the Upper South Rock Creek Valley consists of a series of willow chocked marshes separated from each other by forested rock steps.

Turn right into the forest and head for the willows you can see through the trees. Circle around the first marsh in the forest and head up to the second marsh. Just follow the roaring sound of the South Rock Creek tumbling down from the second to the first marsh. At the second marsh you will be able to pick up a faint climbers trail. However, trail is not easy to follow and will disappear off and on into the undergrowth. Just hiking in the forest along the edge of the all the swamps is as "easy" (and nothing is really easy in the Gores) as continuously trying to find the trail. After you worked your way up the valley you will eventually make it to the last swamp - a large wet meadow almost without willows. From here you will have a great view of the East Face of Mount Valhalla. Cross the meadow. Right next (North) to the pond on the other side you will be able to pickup the trail again. From now on the trail will be distinct and comparably easy to follow. There are actually several trails, but all will lead you eventually to a small lake right below the rock tower of UN 12121 looming above you. Hike up to the base of UN 12121.  You will find several great camp sites here. Continue up the basin between East Ridge and North East Ridge of Mount Valhalla and climb over a high wall of talus. A lake is hidden behind the wall, which can be bypassed on either side. The climb up the East Couloir is mostly moderate, but it steepens  right before reaching the ridge( notice: couloir may be towered by  a cornice deep into spring). Right before the ridge an arm of the couloir is turning off in a 90 degree angle ( hardly visible from below) and leads right underneath the summit.  Top out and scramble the last couple yards to the summit.

Descent: from the summit head south to the snowfield on the left (southern) side of the East Face. The more the snow melts the more it exposes a scree field right below East Ridge and partially on top of the snowfield, which sends its rock missiles down the snow field. Descend down the snow field as fast and as far away from the direct fall direction of the scree field.

Alternative Route back to Rock Creek Trailhead:

The following is a shorter route back to Rock Creek Trailhead - but only if you don't mind a long and steep downhill hike on faint or non existing trails.

From the basin hike up the talus fields to the ridge between North and South Rock Creek. Hike along the ridge until you see a small basin below you (North) ,where a small creek has its source. Descend along the creek down the hillside. You will run about 1/3 down into a massive landslide. Its brim is up to 30 ft deep!. Stay on the left (West) of it and continue down the hill. Soon after that you will see a heap of sand and gravel. From here you can pickup a (often very) faint trail which gets you down the steep hillside to the bottom of the North Rock Creek Valley, across the Boss Mine. There is no bridge across the creek. A faint trail gets you to the bottom of the Boss Mine. The North Rock Creek Trail starts on  in the middle of the talus above you ! Keep on climbing until you find the trail. From here it is an easy  stroll back to the parking lot. 

For history buffs: The Boss Mine was the only substantial mining activity in the Gore Range. 238,000 USD worth of silver ore was extracted, mostly before 1900.

Essential Gear / Wild life