What is a Couloir?
A couloir is a French word meaning ‘passage’ or ‘corridor’. In skiing it describes a narrow gully with a steep gradient in a mountainous terrain.
A couloir is a French word meaning ‘passage’ or ‘corridor’. In skiing it describes a narrow gully with a steep gradient in a mountainous terrain. In the United States such terrain features are uncommon in ski resorts, however, they are more common in Europe. Couloirs are frequently considered to be part of the off-piste trails. Piste maps and trail maps rarely mark couloirs.
Some exceptions to this include the Grand Couloir in Courchevel, France. Historically, this run has had various different classifications. At the moment, the French grade it as a black run under their grading system.
