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 Jul 10, 2019: Unknown

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

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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

(1) Rico, CO

Upper Deer Creek

2.1 mi 3.4 km • -1,327 ft Descent • -404.58 m Descent

(1) Silverton, CO

Snow bunny. If you look hard, below in the trees is the rooftop of the Addie S.

Addie S Laps

0.3 mi 0.4 km • -293 ft Descent • -89.45 m Descent

(1) Telluride, CO

Lightning Bolt Couloir

0.8 mi 1.3 km • -1,570 ft Descent • -478.47 m Descent

(1) Telluride, CO

Fare West

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

(1) Telluride, CO

Practice Slope

0.2 mi 0.3 km • -250 ft Descent • -76.08 m Descent

(1) Telluride, CO

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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!