Home > Trip Reports > March 29, 2013, Mt Stuart - Ulrichs Couloir

March 29, 2013, Mt Stuart - Ulrichs Couloir

3/29/13
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
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Posted by Good2Go on 4/2/13 2:09am
Sean Paul and I skied Ulrichs last Friday.  Ski conditions were generally good.  The top was a bit firm and spicy, but everything past the first turn/elbow was (mostly) delicious corn.  The Teanaway road is currently drivable to the Beverly turnoff (but we used sleds to get to the Esmerelda basin).  I can't figure out how to reduce my pics below 260KB, so here is a video edit:  http://youtu.be/fVkMFymX4G4   
So based on the light in the vid it looked like you did the descent at around 5PM or so? Did that work out as far as the snow and the sun angle that slope gets, or did you think it could've been better snow (less cooked) if you had been there a few hours earlier?

Yeah, we skied it a little late.  Earlier would have been a bit better, all around. 

Nice video!

Quick question: The route seems like pretty straightforward fall line skiing. Is there anywhere along the route that you have to zig instead of zag to avoid cliffing out?

You're correct.  Despite it's historic reputation as "extreme", Ulrichs is just a really great ski run with little objective hazard under most conditions.  There is one spot you have to leave the couloir.  About half way down there's a waterfall/cliff, which I think is where the rappel station is in the summer.  It's right below the main "elbow".  You can traverse to any of the slots to skier's right to avoid the cliff, without having to skin up or hike (as shown in the vid), and then rejoin the Ulrichs drainage below, or just finish in the drainage you joined.  Post up when you get it.   

Sweet. Ulrichs was my first major climb in the cascades back in '75. Nice video and music. Who's the artist?

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march-29-2013-mt-stuart-ulrichs-couloir
Good2Go
2013-04-02 09:09:38