1.9 km away
Memorial #1

Memorial #1 is a very long and clean chute that runs off the ridge of the S summit of Mount Olympus.
Difficult Ski Touring
- Distance
- 856 m
- Ascent
- 0 m
- Descent
- 514 m
Major Tom is a steep and sporty couloir in a remote corner of the Wasatch that can have a few rappels to navigate!
Ski Touring Extreme
To access the Major Tom couloir, park at the Neff's Canyon trailhead in Olympus Cove. Follow the old road grade up into the canyon and take the left branch to head up into the main drainage of Neff's. The trail is narrow with overhanging trees and then opens up and there is a junction. Take the path to the right into the woods and into Thomas Fork. There is an old summer trail you can follow that gains a sub ridge and follows it into the upper reaches of the canyon. Once you enter the upper bowl of Thomas Fork, continue to the south, winding up through the pine forest cutting switchbacks until you gain the ridge. From here head to the east along the ridge keeping an eye on the south slopes, until you come to what is clearly the start to the chute.
Major Tom starts up high on the Big Cottonwood Canyon ridgeline at about 9,500 feet, and runs down to the Big Cottonwood Canyon road. The upper part of the line is wide open with some trees, but quickly funnels into a nice rock-lined chute. Depending on the amount of snowfall there may be the need to rappel here to get over some ice bulges, or use crampons and ice tools to climb down the ice. There are plenty of good trees to sling for this rappel, and a single 60m rope should do the trick. The rappel puts you in the gut of a great chute that continues down the fall line. The pitch is in the upper thirties, or low forty degree range. After several hundred feet of skiing there may be another ice bulge that's only 6 or 8 feet, and can be jumped, or rappelled. A deadman anchor is recommended here. After this short rappel the chute opens up. Ski to the left and look for some large trees to rappel over a very large cliff. A single 60m rope will just barely get you onto the next patch of snow. From here ski another short section then cut far right traversing through some brush and trees. You can also rappel this section if conditions are too thin. From here there are no more rappels. The slope mellows out, and then becomes brushy as you get low down in the canyon. Follow the gully into the backyard of the private home. Jump over the gate and you'll be at the Big Cottonwood Road.
Extreme
Extreme skiing terrain above 45 degrees. These routes are reserved for experienced experts.
1.9 km away
Memorial #1 is a very long and clean chute that runs off the ridge of the S summit of Mount Olympus.
Difficult Ski Touring
2 km away
Tolcat Canyon is the large and prominent chute that splits the N and S summits of Mount Olympus.
Difficult Ski Touring
2.1 km away
Memorial #3 is one of the classic steep lines on the backside of Mount Olympus with large dramatic rock lined walls.
Difficult Ski Touring
2.2 km away
This is the steepest and longest of the Memorials with excellent pitch and beautiful rock lined walls.
Severe Ski Touring
2.7 km away
The Apollo Couloir is the shorter, mellower sister chute to the Zeus Couloir on the magnificent northwest face of Mount Olympus.
Extreme Ski Touring
2.7 km away
Medusa's Face is the most gawked over and coveted, but rarely skied lines in the Wasatch Mountains.
Extreme Ski Touring
6.1 km away
Stairs Gulch is 4,000 feet long, serious with a combination of a steep, technical chute and a flat, more mellow finish.
Difficult Ski Touring
7.4 km away
A big fun run off of Kessler Peak with some great chute and trees skiing involved.
Difficult Ski Touring
7.4 km away
This is the huge avalanche path that's visible from the road on the N slope of Kessler Peak.
Difficult Ski Touring
9.4 km away
Virginia Slims is the fun dogleg chute next to the more popular Old Growth chute in the lower reaches of Cardiff Fork.
Difficult Ski Touring