Backcountry Skiing Box Elder Peak Super Couloir is a long way to the top if you want to Rock and Roll. It's called the "Super Couloir" for a reason. If you ski this couloir you will experience one of the most awesome couloirs in the Wasatch. But if you want to go backcountry skiing Box Elder Peak Super Couloir there is one MAJOR obstacle you'll have to overcome.
Backcountry skiing Lone Peak NE Couloir
Backcountry Skiing Box Elder Peak Super Couloir
The Approach
The approach is very long. There are 2 options, first is to start in the Little Cottonwood canyon at the White Pine trailhead. This is the longer and more heinous of the approaches. The more sensible route is from the town of Alpine. You should park at the Dry Creek trailhead and head up from there. You'll have to hike over 1,500 vertical feet and 3miles to just to reach the run out. Then it’s another 3,000 vertical feet and 3 miles to the summit of the couloir. The good news about the approach is that you stay on summer trails the whole way so at least there is no bushwhacking.
Backcountry Skiing Box Elder Peak Super Couloir
Box Elder Peak is 11,101ft in elevation. The peak is located in the Dry Creek drainage Alpine Utah.
The East Rib
It's tempting to skin directly up the couloir and might be a good route. The safest route however is to skin up the east rib. Getting to the east rib is simple. Just stay on the trail and skin all the way up the dry creek drainage to the summit ridge. Then head South (right) directly up the east rib. This route is free of bushwhacking, has good views, and is the safest route to the summit.
Backcountry Skiing Box Elder Peak Super Couloir
Oh yeah. Skiing the Super Couloir is worth every bit of the climb. The line is clean so you can really ski it! I had fun picking up some speed, which is not something that can't be done on most of the chuting gallery lines.
The huge cliffs that surround the couloir are awesome! The rock walls are so massive and make a impressive background for ski photography. When skiing here, It's hard not take notice the geologic forces it took upheave this massif. The bent and twisted rocks are on grand display here at the Box Elder Super Couloir.
Access
Driving
Go to the town of Alpine. Accurate directions can be found in "the Chuting Gallery". We used them in 2018 and were accurate.
Approach
Dry Creek Trailhead. Follow the Dry Creek trail all the way past the couloir runout and to the ridge. Then head south (right) along the east rib to the summit. It's 5,400 vertical feet of climbing and over 6 miles on the approach.
3 Box Elder NW Super Couloir stats uncovered
- 5,400 vertical approach.
- 12 miles the distance you have to travel to ski it.
- 4-6 hours The time it takes to reach the couloir.
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