Home > Trip Reports > April 20, 2005, Crater Crest, Twin Lakes,CA

April 20, 2005, Crater Crest, Twin Lakes,CA

4/20/05
WA Cascades West Slopes North (Mt Baker)
2515
4
Posted by Zap on 4/22/05 3:32am
We slept in again and the sun was warming the camper quickly.  We drove from Bridgeport west about 13 miles on Twin Lakes Road. The road is plowed all year and provides easy access to the Sawtooth Ridge area.  Crater Crest is a dominant mountain at 11,394 feet and provides some radical avalanche gully descents to Twin Lakes and a few moderate climbing and ski routes on the southeast aspect. We parked between the Twin Lakes and walked down Patterson Road about 100 yards and across the bridge to the snow.  We selected a snow filled gully and slowly skinned the initial sagebrush dotted gully to a plateau with perfect corn snow.  We ascended the ramp towards an aspen grove and as we ascended higher the corn started developing a glaze.  Time to rip the skins.  The views of the Sawtooth Ridge down to Twin Lakes and across the plains to Bridgeport were great.  The descent was perfect Sierra corn.  We dropped along the ramp, past the aspen grove into a mini bowl, over the flats, then down the sage brush dotted gully to the bridge separating Twin Lakes. This is how spring skiing should be. We drove back towards Bridgeport and turned left at Als Campground sign and followed the dirt road about 3 miles to Buckeye Hot Springs. The parking pullout was deserted and when we descended the steep bank we found that we had the hot spring to ourselves.  Located next to Buckeye Creek, there are 3 rock lined pools within arms reach of the creek. The hot spring water rolls over a rock formation and fills the pools. The moon on the horizon, the stream nearby, snow covered slopes and the 104 degree pool all created a perfect environment for Big Thoughts.  Great spring skiing in the Sierras.  Zap
Zap, this brings me to think of the Big Thoughts that area brought me to realize. This is one of my favorite areas on the planet....Soaking in tubs, viewing your ski tracks from the tubs, thinking of tomorrows lines while pruning up in the tubs. Ahhhhh, and it's in California?? One would never know.....

I've lurked long enough. :)
Although I'm from California, I enjoy checking out everyone's TR and snow conditions.

Zap, enjoy your road trip.

Here's a pic of Crater Crest and Twin Peaks from about 7 weeks ago for you PNW's.





This one from two weekends ago-going up to the Twin Peaks glacier.


And here was are, in the PNW, trying to beat the suncups to the slush. You Sierra guys are killing me, here!

Zap, I'm really enjoying your TR's.  When is the book coming out? ;D

the twin lakes area is unreal!
i was there around the same time:
april 16-19
few skiers and plenty of snow.
lots of corn though the timing
was tricky on mt. walt.  
we toured around twin lakes
for 3 days & tahoe for 2.
needless to say
i wannna go back!














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april-20-2005-crater-crest-twin-lakes-ca
Zap
2005-04-22 10:32:48