Coal Creek

Name: Coal Creek
Rating: 4.0

4.0 ( 2 )

Trail

0.5 mile 0.8 kilometer point to point
Ski Line
Intermediate/Difficult

Elevation

Ascent: 0' 0 m
Descent: -749' -228 m
High: 11,078' 3,377 m
Low: 10,329' 3,148 m

Grade

Avg Slope: 30% (17°)
Max Slope: 44% (24°)

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Trail shared by Missy Thompson

Avalanche risk for Apr 30, 2019: Moderate

Heightened avalanche conditions on specific terrain features. Evaluate snow and terrain carefully; identify features of concern. Natural avalanches unlikely; human-triggered avalanches possible.

Full forecast for CAIC: South San Juan Mountains — Brought to you by CO Avalanche Information Center

Avy tweets from @CAICsthsanjuan

Weather

Getting forecast...

Current ascent conditions

Unknown See History

Popular ski lines nearby

Looking west from the top of the skin track.

Coal Bank Plateau

0.1 mi 0.2 km • -177 ft Descent • -53.93 m Descent

Singletrack Rico, CO

( 1 )

Artist Trees

0.3 mi 0.5 km • -745 ft Descent • -227.11 m Descent

Singletrack Silverton, CO

( 5 )

Lavender Col.

2.1 mi 3.4 km • -2,615 ft Descent • -797.06 m Descent

Singletrack Telluride, CO

( 1 )

Fare West

0.3 mi 0.4 km • -404 ft Descent • -123.15 m Descent

Singletrack Telluride, CO

( 1 )

Low-Angle Turns

0.1 mi 0.1 km • -56 ft Descent • -16.97 m Descent

Singletrack Telluride, CO

( 1 )

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“One of Durango's most popular backcountry areas.”

— Missy Thompson

GPX File

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

Description

From the Coal Bank Pass ascent, pick your line and head northeast towards Coal Creek. This area is entirely in the trees and there are a few cliff bands, which are easy to negotiate, but important to be aware of. The goal is to aim for the intersection of Coal Creek and Hwy 550, dropping to the creek too early can put you in a terrain trap and travel can be difficult in the thicker brush by the creek.

Alternatively, descending too soon can leave you with a steep descent to the highway. This is a fun run, and with a bit of searching, you'll find good snow even in the worst of conditions. This is a great run to connect with the Deer Creek Ascent. If this is the end of your journey you can retrace your route, walk up the highway or stick a thumb out!