My intended route crosses the Rubicon River in the forest below, then follows trees right around base of open knoll and wraps up into 4Q lakes basin at center, and along toe of slope above, and around base of buttress, out of sight up to base of open treed slope that leads up and right to the crest just left of center, making four big sweeping turns to gain the ridgetop. Then descend hidden bowl coming down and right to big sunny open slope and down and back left to rejoin my route coming up, milking the gradient for skin-free shuffling.
Glacial scour perpendicular to creek
Had to search around a bit to find this marginal-looking crossing of the Rubicon River
But it worked ok, my tracks faintly visible sidestepping across at right.
I am aiming to gain the crest going up the gentle treed slope leading to the skyline from out of frame at left, the Three-pin Ramp.
The water-streaked slabs above the summer trail, which I aspire to ski, are visible at center. I hope to ski down to them from the crest out of sight above.
Looking back down the way I have come, from the crest of the Crystal Range at about 9,090′
Looking down my intended descent, and across at the route I took to get here eight years ago from home on three-pin touring gear. I’m sure glad I have the more burly descent rig today.
I skied down through there. Squally World USA is skylined at left 18 mi. away
Crest of the Crystal Range looking north
Couldn’t see the shiny firm snow from above, but I managed to work over and around it, to better snow below.