Ascending Dead Dog Couloir,...

Ascending Dead Dog Couloir,...

Ascending Dead Dog Couloir, about 13,500 ft, May 2002
dp
on May 28, 2002 12:58 pm
Image ID: 7333

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Kane

Kane - May 28, 2002 5:47 pm - Hasn't voted

Nice submit!

You get a real good idea as to how steep this ascent is . Was this a recent shot?

dp

dp - Jun 3, 2002 7:13 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice submit!

Thanks! We did this climb about 2 weeks ago, and this picture, out of all those that I took , really gives you the best sense of the couloir . I suspect that with the recent warm weather we have had there is little good snow climbing left this season. According to Roach, the pitch of this couloir is 45 degrees at the bottom and 50 degrees at the top (classified as steep snow). It is not recommended as a good ascent route once the snow melts out because of rockfall. I would love to climb this and descend on skiis next spring!

dp

dp - Jun 10, 2002 11:42 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice submit!

Thanks!

By the way, did you see Sunday's Denver Post? There was an article about an author who wrote a crime novel about an attorney who is also a climber (as is the author). In the article, there is a short passage about how the author no longer skiis chutes in the 14'ers because he got caught in an avalanche once in Dead Dog Couloir!



David

Nelson

Nelson - Jun 10, 2002 8:41 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Nice submit!

No I missed the Post. I guess he is basing that on fact?!



This weekend I did Skywalker on S. Arapaho, more difficult than Dead Dog it turns out. Highly recommended, but it avalanched last weekend. Roach says at least one fatal avalanche accident occurred there.



- Nelson

Diego Sahagún

Diego Sahagún - May 29, 2002 6:16 pm - Hasn't voted

Safety

I think this is not safe. Isn't it?

dp

dp - Jun 3, 2002 7:08 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Safety

We were using crampons and an ice axe, although it is not too easy to tell in this picture. Climbing helmets when near the rockfall areas at the upper end of the couloir. This is a 45-50 degree slope, with a soft layer of snow on top, and did not warrant ropes or belaying. This is described as a Class 3 climb in Roach's guide (steep snow). I do not know of anyone who does or recoomends this climb roped.

Diego Sahagún

Diego Sahagún - Jun 4, 2002 6:48 pm - Hasn't voted

Scale equivalences

Well, you're right, I've just seen your ice axe. I also believe your prudence, let's enjoy the mountains. One question: Do you know the equivalent to Class 3 in other scale? Gracias.

dp

dp - Jun 10, 2002 11:36 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Scale equivalences

Hi Diego-

I think that Class 3 on the Yosemite Decimal Scale is somewhere between a I and II on the UIAA scale . I looked it up, and there isn't an exact correlation until you get to class 4 or 5. The scale that Gerry Roach uses in his guidebook of the Colrado 14'ers classifies this as Class 3, Steep Snow (meaning 45-60 degree slope)



David

Diego Sahagún

Diego Sahagún - Jun 10, 2002 6:46 pm - Hasn't voted

Re (2): Scale equivalences

Gracias dp, do you know any link about this topic (Yosemite Decimal Scale - Other Scales)?

Diego Sahagún

Diego Sahagún - Jun 11, 2002 11:23 am - Hasn't voted

Re (2): Re (2): Scale equivalences

Thank you nchenkin, I knew about this link but I've just realize that YDS is Yosemite Decimal Sistem.

skimountaineer

skimountaineer - May 21, 2009 8:02 pm - Hasn't voted

Safety?

I have climbed and skied this route 4 times, the first 2 I used crampons and ice axe, the next 2 times, we climbed in AT boots without crampons or axes...it just depends on your comfort level on steep snow, of course we had avalanche beacons, shovels and helmets. It's always fun to ski past roped teams with full-on glacier climbing gear in the couloir.

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