Moderate snow climbs

[ashish]

Looking for some moderate couloirs for snow climbing in the PNW, where I could climb with tools and crampons only. All I see online is skiing info and very little info on climbing up and hiking down. Any info would be great.

[Lostbolt]

Lane peak The zipper is a standard one. Depending on how comfy with exposure there are a few up Mount Washington in the olympics.  And the one to the south of washington.

[JasonG]

The Zipper is a good one....

Whistler Peak, East gully (bit of mixed 4th to the summit)

North Couloir on McClellan Butte (some mixed spice at the top)

Big Four, Dry Creek Route (also spicy up high)

North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck.

Sherpa Peak, NE Couloir (bit of 5th at the very summit)

East Face ramp on Harvey up in BC, when it gets fat.  Early season there is some ice climbing.

Not couloirs...but NF of Maude, NF of Observation Rock

East gullies on Mount Angeles in the Olympics.

Sort of less moderate, since there is glacier travel (but it is often soloed), Leuthold's Couloir on Hood.

The Cascades aren't really known for couloirs, but most everything in the spring has steep snow somewhere on it and could be viewed as a challenge. 

[Bronco]

13 hours ago, JasonG said:

North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck.

This one is highly recommended.  

All of these come with the caveat of needing low avalanche danger forecast which happens to coincide with good climbing conditions (firm snow).

[ashish]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Will look through the list. Any good sources for route info/trip report?

[JasonG]

Until we get the TR search feature fixed....Google search with cascadeclimbers and the route/mountain...

and yes, @Bronco is exactly right.....  Snow conditions and weather will control all!

[jared_j]

I think steep ski TRs are a decent starting point for sniffing out potential 'ice axe / snow scramble' ideas.  

Besides Jason's excellent list, I enjoyed this shorter one:

 

The Easier Early Winter Spire Couloir is a pretty nice one that once the highway just opens up.  A bit of a drive for most, but mellow and beautiful.  Earlier the better, it melts out first near a big chockstone at the bottom that can be an annoying crux.

Jason mentions McClellan Butte, which I second.  If this had a clean / aesthetic summit finish, I think it would be on a bunch of must-do lists given its proximity and ease of access.  Loren Campbell suggests exiting a bit early onto scrambly terrain here which I recommend.  I like this one as a simple workout just finishing at the trees below the headwall.

Not a couloir, but the face of Red Mountain (also at Snoqualmie pass) is a decent snow climb that is fine axe and crampon terrain in the right conditions (maybe not steep enough for what you're seeking?).  This is highlighted in the older "Selected Climbs" guidebook by Jim Nelson and Peter Potterfeld.  What forms as the snow summit is usually a cornice that you can't perceive when climbing it; a well-known member of the climbing community perished when it broke out from under her about 15 years ago.  Exercise caution.

Edited Monday at 07:58 PM by jared_j

[ashish]

Thanks Jason.

Jared, thanks for the TR and suggestions.

[Lostbolt]

On 1/7/2025 at 10:18 AM, ashish said:

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Will look through the list. Any good sources for route info/trip report?

Where are you located? I and a few others often do hit things that have some spice but a rope can be avoided. You would be welcome to jump in if you were inclined. Worst case scenario its to sketch and one turns around. Its not a bad Idea to travel with a second even on non rope climbs, at least someone can be there if you need the help getting out.

 

North face of Mount Stone is a good one also but its long and goes through a broad elevation range, so getting good conditions can be difficult to avoid avi danger.