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Trip Report    

Winter Scramble - Norse Peak

We started at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort parking area, ascended to ridge above Bullion Basin, and followed the ridge towards Norse Peak.

Shirley Rogers Shirley Rogers
February 04, 2023
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Conditions were good.     

    Av forecast the night before had said Mod for above treeline and near treeline, Low for below treeline.

    Photo credit:  Tanna Knouse.

Trip leader was Andy Cahn.    Thanks, Andy!

We left one vehicle at the lower trailhead and the other vehicle at the ski area (parking in an approved area), thinking we might exit the lower trailhead.     

Approximate distance 7.5 mi, 3000 ft gain.

Wearing microspikes, we started up the signed snowshoe trails from the ski area parking lot and followed them to the flat area of Bullion Basin. 

After a break, we ascended the steep rim to the ridgetop, following frozen switchbacking ski tracks.   

On the ridge we got into some wind 10-12 mph and we changed into snowshoes as well as bundling up and taking in the breathtaking views.   

From there we followed the ridge northward going over several high and low spots, with our objective the highest rounded point ahead on the ridge.     

At some point 4 people decided to wait within view and 4 people continued on to Norse Peak and returned.   The whole group of 8 then returned on mostly the same route.  ( Except we descended Bullion Basin more directly).

 It was nearing sunset as we reached the parking lot.    The lower car was retrieved and we loaded into our carpools cold but happy after a spectacular day of winter scrambling.    

I should mention the forest we hiked through was lovely and we identified several tree species including Alaska/yellow cedar.    Our tracking expert identified multiple coyote tracks on the ridge, as well as domestic dog tracks.    Two ravens soared above.    Areas of still standing, dead trees were a consequence of the 2017 Norse Peak fire.

Link to Andy's Trip Report:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D7kXU5uY69b-FFcstUZsJLS003wiJjI1I3lYabvJd-U/edit?usp=drivesdk