Whale Peak - Whale's Tail Couloir

We were looking for a relatively mellow ski descent for one of our first post-covid spring ski tours, and with Whale Peak's lower angle Whale's Tail couloir and not... that long of an approach, we made our way to the Gibson Lake trailhead.

If you prefer a video version, scroll to the bottom.

The day began with an early morning drive up Hall Valley. The road is pretty rough, and I would recommend a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. On this day the snow line was well above the trailhead so snow was not an issue on the approach. We arrived at the Gibson Lake trailhead to one or two other vehicles and a chilly sunrise.

Snow started about a mile in to the approach, and became consistent enough to skin about two miles in.

The couloir appeared in the distance and motivated us to push forward. Unfortunately there were quite a few transitions between snow and tundra between treeline and the base of the couloir.

At the base of the couloir, we transitioned to ice axes and crampons and the skis went back on the pack. the snow was consistent and getting relatively soft so we climbed quick to beat the warming snow surface.

We transitioned quickly at the top, enjoyed the views of Summit County and made our way down. Two other climbers were working their way up, but eventually skied down the east face.

We skied back to our tennis shoes, transitioned, ate a snack and hiked out.

Video: