as in canyon
a narrow opening between hillsides or mountains that can be used for passage
at one point the steep, ice-encrusted walls of the couloir are no more than 50 feet apart
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Recent Examples of couloir
For expert skiers, Arapahoe Basin’s East Wall is an irresistible swath of terrain riven by steep chutes and couloirs, all of it requiring hiking to access.
—
John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Be sure to tick off the Supreme Bowl— packed with tight, fast couloirs—when conditions permit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 2026
Each year, the fearless freeriders huck themself off the resort’s infamous couloir during the King’s and Queen’s of Corbet’s event (February 8-15, 2026).
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
Many of these ski lines are clustered in the same drainages, but while in years past Noyes has been able to complete multiple descents in a day, this year, the hot April sun shortened the windows during which those couloirs would be safe from wet avalanches.
—Jake Stern, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025
For more than eight hours, rescuers worked to reach the hikers and lower them from the couloir.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 27 May 2024
John Meyer, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Be sure to tick off the Supreme Bowl— packed with tight, fast couloirs—when conditions permit.
—Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 2026
Each year, the fearless freeriders huck themself off the resort’s infamous couloir during the King’s and Queen’s of Corbet’s event (February 8-15, 2026).
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 20 Dec. 2025
Many of these ski lines are clustered in the same drainages, but while in years past Noyes has been able to complete multiple descents in a day, this year, the hot April sun shortened the windows during which those couloirs would be safe from wet avalanches.
—Jake Stern, Outside Online, 25 Apr. 2025
For more than eight hours, rescuers worked to reach the hikers and lower them from the couloir.
—Daniella Segura, Sacramento Bee, 27 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for couloir
Noun
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That’s due in large part to its natural beauty—towering mountains, spectacular canyons, and rushing waters inspire hiking, biking, fly-fishing and a number of other outdoor pursuits.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
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Some trails start out as mellow, flat hikes, but eventually turn into steep, rocky scrambles, requiring hikers to use their hands to navigate around boulders or up narrow canyons.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If finding a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down inside your car and protect your head, or abandon your vehicle and seek shelter in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Mar. 2026
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When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Float for a week through the canyon’s inner gorge, watching the walls climb to a mile above you, and then return here and the whole arc of the trip clicks into place.—
Kevin Sintumuang,
Outside,
18 Mar. 2026
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Tallulah Gorge State Park Tallulah Gorge State Park is rife with heart-pumping activities, including hiking along its two-mile gorge.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Couloir.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/couloir. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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