Hopeful Couloir - Ski
Date: 5/7/2021
Partners: Jeremy Miller, Joel Racicot
Trailhead: Sheep Gulch
Summits: Mount Hope, Quail Mountain
Distance: 9m
Elevation Gain:5250ft
Duration: 7hrs 30m
GPX
Hopeful Couloir and the Quail's Tail are two fun lines with great views of lakes and mountains. We hiked about 1500ft on the Colorado Trail before hanging our shoes in a tree and skinning the rest of the way to Hope's summit. Caveat: You will need ski crampons to skin to the summit... otherwise bring boot crampons. After skiing Hopeful Couloir we traversed over to Quail's west ridge and booted the summer trail to the summit. We skied the Quail's Tail(just west of the summit) in soft corn back to the tree where we had left our shoes earlier in the day. Pairing these two lines from Sheep Gulch is a great bang for the buck as the miles and vertical go easyily. The trail is smooth and there no bushwhacking... what are you waiting for?
Photos: Alex & Jeremy
9m - 5250ft - 7.5hrs
Skinning in the shadows - We hung our shoes in a tree after hiking the trail for 1500ft or so. Belford group and Huron behind
Jeremy and Joel crossing a thin section with Hope in the sunshine above
We skinned to the rocks on the left where Jeremy and Joel packed their skis booted. I put on ski crampons and was able to skin to the summit.
Approaching Hope's summit
While the couloir warmed in the sun below... the summit was windy and chilly
Looking south from Hope's summit to the next day's objective... Huron's east face
Hopeful Couloir looking inviting
Jeremy feeling Hopeful
Jeremy finding some soft snow
Joel
Can't complain about skiing a fun line of corn into views of lakes and mountains
Joel getting the goods
Alex
Jeremy
Joel
Alex
We were doing great on time so we chilled below Hopeful before heading over to Quail
The trail to Quail's summit was mostly dry
Jeremy leaving Hope behind
After a summit relax on Quail's summit Alex starts on the Quail's Tail
Jeremy
Joel
Alex
After locating our shoes we hiked the trail back to Sheep Gulch