Gunners #2

Gunners #2 is a tight, cougar-style couloir line dropping south through broken alpine terrain above Rogers Pass. The line funnels into a distinct pinch that forms the main crux, with walls closing in and snow often more firm or scraped than the upper apron. Above, expect typical ridge-top overhead hazard from cornices and wind loading; give the start zone a wide berth when you’re scoping it from the ridge and manage your group spacing through the gut.

From the ridge, trend into the obvious couloir entrance, staying clear of any cornice lips and cross-loaded pockets on the flanks. Once committed, the line is straightforward but confined; sluff can run fast through the choke, so manage fall-line stacking and pull out to safe spots on micro-shoulders where the walls ease. Lower down, the couloir opens into more mellow terrain that lets you run it out toward the fan and regroup well clear of any overhead start zones.

This line often comes into shape earlier than more sun-exposed options nearby, but that also means early-season sharks in the pinch and firm, refrozen surfaces if you miss the timing. It skis best with a right-side-up snowpack and recent soft snow over a supportive base; avoid it during active wind loading, rapid warming, or when the ridge is shedding cornice chunks into the gut. Treat it as a serious terrain trap in poor visibility or touchy conditions—easy to get in, harder to get out once it’s moving.