| Back | couloir \kool-WAHR\ |
|---|---|
| Front | noun A steep mountainside gorge. ["Couloir" entered English in the 19th century from French, where it literally means "passage." The term was originally applied specifically to steep gorges in the Alps and later to similar gorges elsewhere, especially ones used by skiers as passages down mountains. Because of their narrowness and steepness, couloirs can be dangerous terrain even for expert skiers. In fact, journalist Jim Kochevar, writing of his experiences at the Telluride ski area for the Chicago Tribune in October 1997, declared (tongue in cheek) that "Couloir is French for 'cold, narrow place to die.'"] "The nearby Mont Blanc tunnel provides an easy way through the heart of the Alps, which allows us to challenge ourselves in Switzerland on Verbier's couloirs and bowls." - Liane Beam Wansbrough; Joie de Ski in Chamonix; The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Jan 26, 2005. "Standing at the top of a vertiginous couloir above Zermatt, the multi-choice business option is a familiar one for an investment banker used to taking momentous decisions under pressure." - Felice Hardy; Time to Get Out of the Bored Room; Evening Standard (London, UK); Feb 1, 2005. |
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