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Author
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Topic: March 18, 2012, Crystal Five Gap Loop (Read 1551 times)
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DickL
5Member
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Posts: 16
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Seeking new territory (for us) in the Crystal backcountry, we skied a loop over 5 different gaps first imagined by Kenji and skied by our group of 9.
After fighting brush and steep sidehills on the trail from the Gold Hills run, we climbed to Bear Gap (Gap 1). From there, we skied windpacked snow, then sun-warmed heavy not-quite-glop to the outlet stream from Placer Lake. (A better option might be to cross the ridge at Chickenhead.)
Next was Sourdough Gap (Gap 2), where we appreciated the recent skin track.
Good skiing down to Sheep Lake, then we headed west to the gap just north of Point 6,458 (Gap 3). This section might be dicey in firm snow conditions.
Our next goal was the gap to the northwest between Point 6,595 (Crystal Peak) and Point 5,706 (Gap 4).
We debated how high we would need to climb to be able to de-skin and ski to Gap 4 (elevation about 6,300’). Our consensus was 300’ of elevation loss should carry us 0.4 miles. While this might work in some conditions, it was not enough today; but close.
As we approached Gap 4, the visibility deteriorated in snow and clouds, and we proceded cautiously to avoid cornices. With the help of a waypoint from an earlier passage, we located Gap 4 and prepared to descend. Most of this gap is guarded by cornices, but the wind had cleared a steep entrance, which we judged safe to enter with the cooling temperatures (and no sun). A fun ski down the north facing slope from Gap 4 in soft dry snow, though it would have better without flat light.
Next to Upper Crystal Lake, then up to the gap above Silver Basin (Gap 5). By then, daylight was fading, and visibility was poor. We knew there was avalanche debris from the Ski Patrol’s bombing of the cornices; the only problem was where. Skiing by Braille brought us out to the Crystal Ski base exactly one minute before the 7:19 pm sunset. Total about 10.6 miles and 5,300’ ascended. Again, no headlamps. Is this a trend?
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« Last Edit: 03/20/12, 12:10 PM by DickL »
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Kenji
Member
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Posts: 291
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Thanks Dick for TR and leading another successful Mountaineers trip, here are a few pictures from the trip. It's getting harder to pull out headlamps as days get longer. Great trip, thanks everyone for breaking a trail and being a great companion.
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John Morrow
Member
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Posts: 499
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Cool tour--in the true spirit of the word. This seems to get forgotten in the realm of turns, and yoyoing, and such. Thanks for sharing. Lowell's word "flow" comes to mind.
J
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shaman
5Member
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Posts: 48
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Sweet trip guys! Sounds like you squeezed every ounce of light out of that day.
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Robie
Member
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Posts: 1131
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Excellent tour ! Thanks for letting us read along .
Point 6904' on the north of Gap 3 should have a name. Ive heard it called Chinook peak.
It's a great easy scramble off the Crystal peak trail and good skiing down to Deadwood lakes.
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« Last Edit: 03/20/12, 01:34 PM by Robie »
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"I bought my rope at Walmart ,my gloves at costco but paid dearly for my dynafits"
Apparant Moderator of what sucks
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joecat2
5Member
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Posts: 46
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I call gap 3 "Nat Col" because the USGS map has Nat right there, and Peak 6904 "Nat Peak"
Gap 4 could be called Nat-King Col because it's halfway between Nat Pk and Silver King.
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DickL
5Member
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Posts: 16
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Excellent tour ! Thanks for letting us read along .
" headed west" ?
Point 6904' on the north of Gap 3 should have a name. Ive heard it called Chinook peak.
It's a great easy scramble off the Crystal peak trail and good skiing down to Deadwood lakes.
Right you are, it's west. I fixed the original post. Thanks.
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Joedabaker
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Posts: 1756
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It's funny because we really saw nobody all day. Could hear some voices out yonder. But we kept crossing a well packed skin track between ridges and wondered where the herd was.
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If it's called common sense, why isn't it more common?
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cchapin
Member
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Posts: 256
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Great report! That's a lot of vert!
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Scotsman
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Posts: 3174
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Nice tour.
skin track spacing!
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