Corbet's Couloir - Brave or Foolish? You Decide!

Corbet's Couloir: This is my story. It is also the story of Gary Trauner, because he was there and played the hero role as far as I'm concerned. I played the damsel in distress.

It was back in 1985, which was perhaps the tail-end of my fem-macho Jackson Hole skiing days. For years, I had been skiing some of the mountain's steepest terrain. Alta Chutes, Tower Three Chute, Paintbrush, Expert Chutes...but never Corbet's. No, that pesky couloir had just looked way too scary to ever attempt. But, it bugged me. I wanted to be a "chick that did Corbet's." Wikipedia writes that "Corbet's is currently rated #4 on the top fifty things for skiers to do before they die, it holds an international reputation among expert skiers, and has been descibed as 'America's scariest ski slope' (USA Today)." So come on, here I was in 1985 at age 35, the longing for Wyoming skiing glory still burning in my heart. I wanted to legitimately buy and then wear an "I Survived Corbet's Couloir" T-shirt, or at least a pin. I guess what I needed all those years was someone to encourage me a little bit.

So, on the day in question, I rode up the tram with my 13 year-old stepson, Chaney. On the same tram was Gary Trauner, my brother's childhood friend. Gary had been coming to Jackson Hole with my family for many years. He moved there as an adult and lives there still with his wife and sons. Well, we were both delighted to see each other, since neither knew the other was in town. Talk started and before you know it, I think I mentioned my frustrated yearning to conquer Corbet's. Gary thought I should go for it and promised that if I did it, he would too! We made our way over to the rim of the cornice and looked in.

Now, I was far from an authority on whether or not it "looked good" that day. It always looked scary as hell to me...on any day. But, for some reason, I guess we thought it was worth consideration. There was a lot of talk up there. I think it went on for about 45 minutes. Chaney was getting impatient, but all I could do was focus on "should I?" I kept thinking about how I did this every year, since 1971...how I was just getting older but not any more skillful on my skis...how it was now or never. Gary was somewhat encouraging but not pushy at all. In speaking with him currently about his memory of this event, he admits that he really didn't want to do it.

Gary had "done Corbet's" a few times. He had fallen once and landed it a couple of times, but he wasn't exactly a regular Corbet's aficionado. Apparently, all this time I was trying to get up the nerve, he was thinking I wouldn't do it. No way. I asked him, "what's the worst thing that could happen?" He said, "you could die." So, I finally thought, "here goes."

I jumped, or actually tried to slide over the edge, thinking I could just dig in when I landed. Was I wrong? YES!! No sooner had I made the move to go in, than I was falling backwards. At that moment, I knew it was out of my control and made a conscious decision to relax completely. That's the best way to avoid injury, right? Well, this tumble was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. All I could see was...rocks...snow...rocks...snow. In rapid succession. When I stopped somersaulting down the chute, I came to rest in the best snow on the whole mountain! A protected northern exposure. Soft, deep, feathery, trackless snow in the middle of the 60 degree slope. The configuration of it just funneled me to the center, nowhere near the rocks. Relieved to realize I wasn't dead, I saw one ski stuck in the snow up at the top. I saw a very long, extremely steep climb ahead of me...unless.

I first shouted to Chaney, "DON'T DO IT!" thinking that he might want to emulate his nutty stepmother. Then, I yelled up, "Gary! If you get my ski for me, I'll buy you dinner!!" Poor Gary.

Apparently, Gary was thinking "oh no, now I have to do it!" He had promised you see. Truth be told, he had issued the challenge (so don't feel too sorry for him). You have to hand it to the guy. He jumped. I had presented him with an unusual situation. He had to drop in, make the necessary left turn before hitting the big rock wall to the right, and stop immediately to get my ski (at this point, the damsel in distress bats her eyelashes helplessly). Gary states that he wasn't prepared for the G-force he felt in attempting this move. He made the turn but when he landed on the snow, he feared he was going to go down. He stumbled but managed to pull it out in spite of the tremendous force, by sheer will. Gary Trauner got my ski. He then skied down and handed it to me.

Yes, I bought dinner. We went to the Mangy Moose, where I encouraged him to get anything he wanted. I think we each had a drink called a "Corbet's Couloir" to celebrate.

Gary Trauner is currently a Democratic candidate for Wyoming's lone U.S. House of Representatives seat. Now, I don't want to make the man sound like he walks on water, but hey, would YOUR Congressman jump into Corbet's for YOU?? Mine, Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado (R), probably wouldn't. Well, Gary Trauner is courageous, keeps his promise, helps the helpless and is one helluva good skier. I wish I had a vote in Wyoming, but I don't. In any event, he's a gem. And, that is our Corbet's story!