April 16, 2005, Red Lake Peak,S. Lk. Tahoe

We joined another group of Sierra Club backcountry skiers on a beautiful spring day in the Sierras. The group was "mature" and strong which made for a fun tour. We met the group at the Sno Park on the north side of Carson Pass at an elevation of 8500'.  We drove 2 vehicles east along hwy.88 to the 7400 foot level for a car shuttle.  The climb up Red Lake Peak starts with a brief traverse west then climbs to the 10,061' summit.  The descent options are extensive. You can ski back to Carson Pass on a south aspect or drop the numerous chutes back to hwy 88 towards Red Lake. From the summit ridge heading northeast the options go from the sane to an adrenalin rush.  The views north are of Lake Tahoe and west towards Kirkwood, Elephants Back, Roundtop and the Sisters.  The enormous Northeast bowl has a 30 degree pitch which then funnels to a steep chute that drops to Crater Lake. The north slopes were still firm and we traversed towards Stevens Peak and dropped into a smaller bowl that was creamy. After a few cycles, we descended numerous rolls and gullies down to Crater Lake. The snow became unconsolidated from the lake down to the car park.  Our cycles in the upper bowl were too long and the lower slopes softened.  The beauty of the one way tour is that you climb about 1500 vertical and get a 2600 vertical descent.  The end to a perfect tour was a soak in Grover Hot Springs.   Zap