Trip Date: May 4, 2008

Chinook Peak Ski Circumnavigation:  Crystal Gap to Sourdough Gap

Silver Basin
Silver Saddle
Crystal Bowl
Upper Crystal Lake
Crystal Gap
Chinook Gap
Sourdough Gap
Two-Way Gap
No-Way Gap
One-Way Gap

Trip Report Summary

Region: Southern Washington Cascades

Sub-Region: Chinook Mountains

Area: Mt. Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest & Mt. Rainier National Park

Starting & Ending Point: Crystal Mountain Ski Area base lodge (Elev. 4400 feet)

Way Points: Miners Lakes & Silver Basin & Silver Saddle & Crystal Bowl & Upper Crystal Lake & Crystal Gap & Chinook Gap & Sheep Lake Basin & Sourdough Gap & Two-Way Gap & No-Way Gap & One-Way Gap & Silver Basin & Crystal Mountain base lodge (ski tour)

Approximate Stats: 10 miles traveled; 4200 feet gained & lost; 8.6 hours elapsed.

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Full Trip Report

Fay and I headed down to Crystal Mtn on Sunday to reconnoiter the terrain around Chinook Peak, in hopes of eventually completing a ski circumnavigation. Good weather and dumb luck were on our side; we managed to reconnoiter our way around the entire circuit. Considering the splendid alpine terrain, the interesting route-finding, the gorgeous scenery, and sometimes-great ski slopes, we both deemed it to be an instant classic!

Starting from the Crystal Mtn Ski Area base lodge, our circumnavigation route was as follows:

– Skinned up the central liftline to Silver Basin and up to Silver Saddle.

– Descended to Upper Crystal Lake (good skiing).

– Traversed past the lake and skinned up the prominent couloir to Crystal Gap (steep!).

– Traversed over and down to Chinook Gap on the south side of Chinook Peak (nice!).

– Descended a short couloir (kicked off many small wet-snow sloughs!).

– Contoured above Sheep Lake on a wide bench.

– Ascended to Sourdough Gap (mushy afternoon snow).

– Contoured over to Two-Way Gap (some very steep snow; mistakenly marked as “Sheepskull Gap” on attached map).

– Traversed around west side of Two-Way Peak to No-Way Gap (more steep snow, but stable).

– Ascended to One-Way Gap on west side of Threeway Peak.

– Skied down couloir (some late-afternoon crustiness but mostly very good snow).

– Skied down liftline to parking lot (perfect corn snow!).

Equipment Comments

For more information regarding the various equipment that I used for this particular trip and that I typically use for this type of trip, see my gear reviews on the following pages:

>>> Backcountry Telemark Ski Touring Gear

>>> Backcountry Ski & Snowshoe Pack

>>> Wintertime Comfort Accessories

Route Map

Photo Gallery