RMNP Dead Elk Couloir Skiing 5/22/2013
With the snowpack in the Front Range finally stabilizing, Mike Records and I decided to check out one of Rocky Mountain National Park's rowdy yet easily accessed lines, Dead Elk Couloir. Dead Elk is one of two steep lines that splits the steep south buttress of Flattop Mountain, spilling down into the Tyndall Gorge. It's neighbor is Dragonstail Couloir, which Hans and I had skied earlier in the year. By comparison, Dead Elk is just as steep and technical, but adds to the excitement with a small cliff/chockstone blocking the choke and turning the route into a mixed climb/descent.
There's a bit of debate over the name of the line - apparently a frozen and dead elk was once found in the top of the couloir. Some, like Mike, call it Frozen Elk, whereas others, including myself, call it Dead Elk. Maybe it should be Frozen Dead Elk, or FDE for short.
We got a bit of a late start, but some high cloud cover kept the snow cold enough for safe cramponing and skiing in the couloir.
Mike posted an excellent write-up of the day on his blog here: http://www.mikerecords.com/2013/05/frozen-elk-couloir-5222013.html
Read MoreThere's a bit of debate over the name of the line - apparently a frozen and dead elk was once found in the top of the couloir. Some, like Mike, call it Frozen Elk, whereas others, including myself, call it Dead Elk. Maybe it should be Frozen Dead Elk, or FDE for short.
We got a bit of a late start, but some high cloud cover kept the snow cold enough for safe cramponing and skiing in the couloir.
Mike posted an excellent write-up of the day on his blog here: http://www.mikerecords.com/2013/05/frozen-elk-couloir-5222013.html
