Skywalker Coulior

Rick, Lawrence and I climbed the Skywalker Coulior, via the direct finish ("Princess Leah") on June 13, 2004. It was a fantastic climb, with the snow in great shape even though (or perhaps due to) the low snow pack this year. We got an early start, leaving the 4th of July trailhead by 5:00am, starting up the coulior by 6:30. The angle of the coulior started at about 45º, increasing to 50º for the last third of the main coulior and 60º in the Princess Leah direct finish. Roach's guide book warns that snow conditions can be variable in this coulior, and that Princess Leah can have ice and reach angles up to 70º. Obviously this year was an exception as the snow conditions were excellent throughout the entire coulior and Princess Leah. There was quite a bit of rockfall coming down a side branch of the coulior about half way up on climbers right. There was some new snow from the day before, and we had problems with snow balling under our crampons.

Lawrence & I midway up the Skywalker coulior (photo Rick Chapman)

Looking down Skywalker from the moat where Princess Leah starts (photo Lawrence Pollack)

Rick leading up Princess Leah (photo by Lawrence Pollack)

Myself about half way up Princess Leah (photo Rick Chapman)

Lawrence, Rick and I atop South Arapaho, with North Arapaho in the background