Zebra Stripe Couloir

Overview

Getting There

Option 1: Rock Creek Trail:

drive north  from Silverthorne on Hwy 9 - turn on CR 1350/ Rock Creek Rd - drive to the TH - gate past winter parking area is closed between end of November and 05/20/2020. The road up to the summer parking area is bumpy and rocky but it is manageable for all cars - 4 x 4 /high clearance is not required. 

Option 2: Boulder Creek Trail: 

drive north from Silverthorne on Hwy 9 - turn on CR 1376/ Boulder Creek Rd - you can drive 1.9 miles up the good gravel road (until a sign advised that no car traffic is allowed any further up the road) - but you cannot park up there - 

so 

1) you need to either drop off your gear up there, drive back down and park in the designated parking area close to the highway and then hike back up

2) you find someone who drops you off and picks you up again from the end of the road (cel phone reception may be very spotty up there) 

3)  you bring your mountain bike for the shuttling back and forth.

Route Description

I keep the description pretty short. If you venture that deep into the Gore Range I trust that you have the proper route finding skills anyways.

Route from Boulder Creek TH and Rock Creek TH to beautiful Boulder Lake is straight forward. The trail skirts the Northern side of the lake and follows the Northern bank of Boulder Creek up the valley. The NFS is not maintaining & clearing the trail anymore past Boulder Lake. Tons of dead trees have fallen on the trail and  trail is a bit hard to follow in some swampy spots. Expect the trail conditions to deteriorate further in the years to come.

There are two clearings in the forest after you passed Boulder Lake. At the second clearing (after you crossed over the first small creek tumbling down from the right) the real fun starts.  Your next goal is the unnamed lake at the bottom of the  basin below the South face of Peak Z. You need to gain more than 1000 ft in altitude from the second clearing to get up there - and there is no trail whatsoever. This is a steep and tedious bushwhack thru forest with tons of fallen trees. Treeline starts right at the edge of the lake. Skirt the unnamed lake on its northeastern side and work your way further up the basin below the South Face of Peak Z. Zebra Stripe soon raises straight ahead of you, right up to the summit of Peak Z. This is a fun, moderate snow climb (55 angle). There is a Y in the couloir about 2/3 up, both arms get you up to the summit ridge (right one drops you right below the actual summit).

Essential Gear

Crampons, ice axe , helmet -  ability/willingness to bushwhack steep slopes littered with dead trees and brush :) 

External Links

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