There is no more intimidating ski run in North America than Jackson Hole’s infamous Corbet’s Couloir. Standing at the edge of Corbet’s for the first time will make any skier or snowboarder question their capabilities but Jackson Hole local Owen Leeper has some simple advice for first timers looking to slay the dragon.
Named after Barry Corbet, a mountaineer who first spotted the narrow crease of snow in 1960 and predicted it would someday be a ski run, the first descent of Corbet’s Couloir was made by ski patroller Lonnie Ball in 1967. Corbet’s reputation as one of the most difficult inbounds trails is well deserved with it’s 20-foot drop and 50-degree pitch.
Whether you are just visiting Jackson Hole or if you’ve lived there for years, Owen Leeper’s sage advice on skiing Corbet’s might come in handy. Here’s what he has to say:
For those ready to drop into Corbet’s Couloir for the first time, I have a few tips:
Even though it looks like you will instantly catch an edge and tomahawk all the way down, it’s actually quite doable, conditions permitting. It definitely takes some skill, so make sure you’re capable of skiing steep double black terrain before attempting it and, more importantly, wait for some new snow.
While my favorite way into Corbet’s is to backflip off the nose of the cornice, I don’t recommend that for your first drop into the couloir! When you’re ready and the snow is soft, head to Corbet’s from the top of the tram and watch a few people drop in first to see how they do it.
The key is to approach the edge slowly and locate the goat path, which is the easiest way in and where everyone will be standing. Slide as far as you can into the couloir sideways without losing your edge so you don’t come in with too much speed.
Slowly creep your skies down sideways until you can see the path headed under the cornice to the skiers’ right. Once you get down low enough and you can see the turn, slowly rotate your tips downhill and into the couloir.
This is where most people go wrong – they lean back and turn uphill as soon as possible, trying to stop, but that puts their weight on the tails of their skis and they lose control, sliding the whole way down on their back.
To avoid that, as soon as you drop in, keep your weight forward and over the front of your boots and instead of trying to stop right away, make the right turn toward the wall and then turn left, using that turn to slow down and regain control.
THIS IS HOW OWEN LIKES TO SKI CORBET’S:
THIS IS HOW NOT TO SKI CORBET’S: