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Originally Posted by LeeLau
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Ok, so here is the trip report i posted on bivouac.com, it is a little embarrassing so i avoided the criticism of TGR.
Central Couloir ski descent 3-12-06
My partner, who shall remain unnamed, and I skied the Central Couloir of Joffre Peak. We ascended the Australian Couloir on the south side of the peak to the summit from Keith’s Hut. After cutting part of the cornice on the top of the central couloir we set up an anchor out of webbing on a large rock. My partner rappelled over the cornice into the couloir on a 30 m 8mm rope. The rope left us just shy of a more open section of the couloir, so he kicked steps down another 10 ft with the safety of an ice axe. I followed the same line down into the couloir.
After applying skis we had a route finding decisions. Two choices, left or right. Left is less steep, 55-60 degrees but it also turns a corner and the line is not all visible. Right is a 60-70 degree spine wall. Right is initially more scary, but I think in the long run it is easier (not 100 percent sure, but I think this line goes through). My partner and I decided to take the left line because the turns looked more fun. As it turns the corner it gets cliffed out. We set up an anchor with a single picket to rappel off of. My partner went first because of the less maneuverable position of his snowboard. The 30m rope was not long enough. He ended up being about 15 feet above the couloir. He rappelled off the end of the rope with an ice axe in hand and self arrested on his toe side edge in the couloir.
I proceeded to repeat the same maneuver on skis. I tied a knot in one end of the rope so it would come with me when I went off one end. As I neared the end of the rope I found all of the snow to be scraped off of the cliff/face into the couloir. I decided that I could not repeat the same move and self arrest on hard pack and rock. I started to push myself to the side, where I could go down a larger section with softer snow. In doing so, I twisted my anchor “picket” out of the snow. Unprepared I began to tumble backward down into the couloir. My tele bindings blew off pretty quick and I tomahawked down the couloir. I hit a lot of rock and ice on the way down, breaking my helmet and nothing else. I finally came to rest about 20 feet above the bergschrund tangled up in my rope with a picket and one of my skis. I ended up to be ok, swelling and bruising in many places, but ok. My partner rode down the couloir and picked up my other ski and polls. I would suggest to others skiing the couloir to take a 60m rope.
Here is an image which shows my partner entering the top of the couloir on a 30m rope.
If you are to ski it from the top, go over the ridge beyond the red line after entering the couloir.
We continued down the first fall line, which was 55-60 degrees which got cliffed out. The couloir is broken in two at the top and the skiers right goes through. Where you drop off over the red line it is about a 70 degree spine wall, ridable but scarry.
Here are enlarged images of the top of the central couloir
The red line is the same small ridge in the other image. The green line is our second rappell, where i fell.
I think the whole central couloir is over 50 degrees. I know nothing about the couloir on lookers left of Leelau's image
I never pulled out a slope meter so the slope angles i have made are only estimates.
.....and one cool picture from the summit of Joffre Peak
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