Watch Classic and Remote B.C. Couloir Skied for Second Time
Michael Wirth skied 31 of the classic 50 ski descents of North America in one season. This is the first episode of his new series documenting his adventures
Earlier this year, Michael Wirth travelled to a remote area in B.C.’s Selkirks to reach a once before skied line called Comstock Couloir. Wirth completed the second recorded descent of the line 14 years after Greg Hill completed the first.
“I did it in a continuous solo effort which yielded: 40 km (24.45 miles) 4.14 km (13,590 feet) of elevation gain in 14 hours and 15 minutes,” Wirth said. “This feat was one that challenged both my mind and body in the days preceding and throughout the expedition itself. Precision, thoughtfulness and a thorough respect for these mountains is what I attribute my successful journey to.”
The huge couloir is guarded by a big approach, huge avalanche paths, giant cornices and glaciers. “I embarked on this journey due to the fear of imminent last descents among these lines,” said Wirth. “With the climate changing rapidly, our snow is disappearing in many places.” Wirth grew up in Aspen Valley and always dreamt about completing the ski lines in The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America.
The Comstock Couloir is the first episode of The Classic Flow by Wirth – a multi-part series that will dive intimately into climbing and skiing 31 of the Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America in one single season. If you’re on YouTube then be sure to subscribe below. “I set out in January 2022 to ski as many lines as possible in one season and to discover what was possible from the logistic, technical and endurance capacities of myself,” said Wirth.
Comstock Couloir
The 50 Classic Ski Descents of North America
The book was published in 2010 and was written by Art Burrows, Chris Davenport and Penn Newhard. It’s considered one of the must-have publications for big mountain skiers. The following are the lines included.
The East
Polar Star Couloir, Mt. Beluga, Baffin Island
Tuckerman Ravine, Mt. Washington, NH
Huntington Ravine, Mt. Washington, NH
Colorado
Landry Line, Pyramid Peak
North Maroon Peak, North Face
Cross Couloir, Mt. of the Holy Cross
Wilson Peak, Northeast Face
Silver Couloir, Buffalo Mountain
Utah
Mt. Superior, South Face
Hypodermic Needle, Thunder Ridge
Cold Fusion, Mt. Timpanogos
Mt. Tukuhnikivatz, La Sals
Wyoming
Ford-Stettner Couloir, Grand Teton
The Skillet, Mt. Moran
East Face Glacier Route, Middle Teton
Idaho/Montana
The Sickle, Horstmann Peak, ID
Devil’s Bedstead, North Face, ID
Castle Peak, South Face, ID
North Couloir, McGown Peak, ID
Mt. Stimson, Southwest Face, MT
The Patriarch, Glacier Peak, MT
California/Nevada
Mt. Whitney, Mountaineer’s Route, CA
Giant Steps Couloir, Mt. Williamson, CA
Split Couloir, Split Mountain, CA
Bloody Couloir, Bloody Mountain, CA
Mt. Shasta, Avalanche Gulch, CA
Terminal Cancer Couloir, Ruby Mountains, NV
Pacific Northwest
Northwest Route, Mt. Shuksan, WA
Watson’s Traverse, Mt. Baker, WA
Führer Finger, Mt. Rainer, WA
Newton-Clark Headwall, Mt. Hood, OR
Eldorado Peak, Eldorado Glacier, WA
Canada Coast Mountains
Combatant Couloir, Mt. Combatant
Mt. Currie, Pencil & Central Couloirs
Joffre Peak, Northwest Face
Spearhead Traverse, Whistler
Columbia Mountains/Rockies
Mt. Robson/Yuh Hai Has Kun, North Face, BC
Aemmer Couloir, Mt. Temple, AB
Mt. Columbia, Southeast Face, AB
Skyladder, Mt. Andromeda, BC
Comstock Couloir, Mt. Dawson, BC
Seven Steps to Paradise, Youngs Peak, BC
Rogers/Swiss Peaks, Uber Tour, BC
Rogers Pass to Bugaboos Traverse, BC
Alaska
University Peak, South Face
Mira Face, Mt. Saint Elias
Pontoon Peak, Southeast Ridge
The Sphinx, Southeast Ridge
The Ramp, Meteorite Mountain
Messner Couloir, Denali
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
