Couloir


A couloir, is a narrow gully with a steep gradient in a mountainous terrain.

Geology

A couloir may be a seam, scar, or fissure, or vertical crevasse in an otherwise solid mountain mass. Though often hemmed in by sheer cliff walls, couloirs may also be less well-defined, and often simply a line of broken talus or scree ascending the mountainside and bordered by trees or other natural features. Couloirs are especially significant in winter months when they may be filled in with snow or ice, and become much more noticeable than in warmer months when most of the snow and ice may recede. These physical features make the use of couloirs popular for both mountaineering and skiing.

Winter Sports

While in the United States such terrain features are uncommon at ski resorts, in Europe they are more common. Couloirs are frequently considered an off-piste trail and, as such, are not marked on ski piste maps. Some exceptions to this include: