Coolant leak? Valve cover gasket leak?

[lgaston]

I need help!

While checking my oil level I noticed a bit of opaque yellow sludge collected around the top of my oil level on the dipstick. While the hood was up I also noticed that there seems to be a bit of oil around one of the bolts on my valve cover. I had my coolant topped up about 2000 miles ago and it is now about an inch and a half below the fill line. Is it safe to assume I have a coolant leak and this explains the yellow sludge on my dipstick? Or am I more concerned with possibly having a blown gasket allowing water into my oil. It is pretty cold here and I sometimes have rough starts (rpms drop and engine chugs a little). I don't have any exhaust smoke or overheating though.

PLEASE HELP!

[Donald.j]

I would drain oil and check to see if milky and as far as leak u should have a spot where u park or be able to notice a coolant leak I've seen many cars with the yellowish sludge on oil caps from slight condisation put I would suspect small crack in head gasket also test coolant there is a thread here that shows how to test for bad head gasket