High Roller Couloir

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

Technical rope work and great skiing on perhaps one of the proudest peaks in the Santa Fe area.

Take the ski lift (if they'll still let you exit the ski area) by jumping the rope from the Millenium lift. Crest over Deception Peak and negotiate the ridgeline scramble over to Lake Peak. This can be a sketchy endeavor when icy or wet.

Bring your "A-game" and approach High Roller with a couple short rappels from the summit down the direct west face of Lake Peak. Pitons or gear placements for the summit rap, use a horn and pull for the next.

Continue until you can get established on the snow. Click in and enjoy the ride down the steep couloir that is nice and wide enough to make enjoyable turns in until the couloir ends and joins Valhalla proper.

Exit: Hike back up and out and drop back into the top of the ski area or make it down to the Windsor Trail and slog out on the flats to the west all the way back to the Wilderness Gate, then south back to the parking lot.

Hold a warm thought for the Nambe Tribe as you enter in the bowl since they continue to allow backcountry skiing on their homeland. Not all indigenous lands are free to travel on, so continue to show respect and regard and it will come back around.