Bryant Couloir

We took a run in the Alpental backcountry first and then decided to hit Bryant Couloir since the BC was getting tracked out. Conditions had been stabilized since the last snowfall, and while skiing up to Bryant Couloir the snowpack looked good. Once onto the bench, we skinned into the bowl and towards the saddle between Bryant Peak and Chair Peak. It was starting to get wind scoured and the top of the bowl looked heavily scarred from the wind, so we decided stop about 200’ from the saddle and de-skin.

I decided to dig a pit where we stopped – it wasn’t the best spot for a pit as the slope was mellow and not that indicative of what we were going to ski. But if it wasn’t stable there, then I definitely was not venturing into the couloir. Digging down showed the snow steadily increasing in density. I dug about 40” down and did not find any worrisome layers. Once ready for the descent, I ventured out onto a small steep slope entering the bowl and ski cut it. It felt very stable and didn’t release, so I skied into the bowl under the watchful eye of Tyson. Tyson followed suit and we came to the top of the couloir. I skied first, exiting skier’s left to a safe spot and watched Tyson come down. The snow was good, although it was just starting to develop a thin layer of sun crust on the top. The rest of the ski down as excellent and we were glad to have gotten first tracks in Bryant Couloir.