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    Sawtooths Ski Traverse

    Sawtooths Ski Traverse

    $1405 per person

    The Sawtooth Range lies on the northern border of Yosemite and contains one of the most rugged and beautiful ridges on the Sierra Crest. This is a classic tour that we offer with a new variation we discovered that provides more exciting skiing.

    2023 Dates: April 28- May 1


    The Sawtooth Range lies on the northern border of Yosemite and contains one of the most rugged and beautiful ridges on the Sierra Crest. This is a classic tour that we offer with a new variation we discovered that provides more exciting skiing. Still very challenging and packed with adventure in 4 days, this tour is the perfect long weekend tour of a lifetime, or an excellent primer for even higher and wilder ski mountaineering.

    Maximum guiding ratio of 4:1 and needs a minimum of 2 to run on these dates with these prices. We can also arrange this trip on a custom private basis. It’s not very splitboard friendly, unless conditions are perfect, but we can custom build a similar program in the Sawtooths that works better for snowboarders upon request.

    A ski mountaineer’s idea of heaven.

    In his classic 1999 guidebook Backcountry Skiing California’s High Sierra, John Moynier calls this tour “A ski mountaineer’s idea of heaven.” We would have to agree! Somehow nature really set this one up for us and it has become a well-deserved classic over the years. We discovered a variation on Moynier’s line that takes us northeast down some nice steep slopes from the summit of Eocene Peak to Glacier Lake, then up and over the incredible, ski mountaineering friendly Hawk’s Head Notch. We rejoin the original line at Cleaver Col. The traverse is relatively short at 20 miles but covers only the most spectacular terrain. There is never a dull moment. A fourth day allows us to an opportunity to summit and ski Matterhorn Peak, one of the classic, steep, ski mountaineering peaks of the Sierra.

    • Included
      Backcountry Skiing
      Blacksmith Peak
      Bridgeport
      Crest tour
      Horse Creek
      Matterhorn Peak
      Sawtooths
      ski mountaineering
      skiing
      Twin Lakes
      Yosemite ski
    • Not Included
      14ers
      3D chute
      3rd pillar
      3rd Pillar Dana
      AIARE
      AIARE 1
      AIARE 2
      Alaska
      Alaska skiing
      alpine
      alpine climbing
      alpine rock climbing
      Alps
      Alps climbing
      Alps running
      Alps skiing
      Alps trilogy
      American Mountain Guides Association
      AMGA
      avalanche awareness
      avalanche course
      backcountry
      backcountry 101
      backcountry ski
      backcountry snowboard
      backpacking
      Bear Creek Spire
      Berner Oberland
      Bernese Oberland
      Bishop
      Bishop Skyline
      Bloody Mountain
      Breakthrough
      California
      California fourteeners
      camping
      Cardinal Pinnacle
      Carson Peak
      Celestial Aretes
      Chamonix
      Chamonix climbing
      Charlotte Dome
      chef
      classic rock climb
      classic Sierra rock
      climb
      climbing
      climbing camp
      climbing skills
      climbing Swiss Alps
      Clyde Minaret
      Convict Creek
      cook
      courses
      courses instruction
      crampon
      Crystal Crag
      custom
      custom private ski
      Dana Plateau
      destinations
      Devil's Slide
      Dolomites
      Dolomites climbing
      Double Eagle Resort
      Dream Bowl
      East Buttress
      East Face
      Eastern Sierra climbing
      Eastern Sierra skiing
      Eastern Sierra Winter
      Eiger
      Evolution Loop
      exam
      fastpacking
      Fishhook Arete
      Four Seasons
      France
      Glass Creek
      Grindelwald
      guide course
      Haute Route
      heli assisted
      heli skiing
      Hemlock Ridge
      High Sierra
      High Sierra skiing
      high tour
      hiking
      horses
      Horsetail Falls
      Hut to Hut
      ice 101
      ice axe
      ice climbing
      ice climbing course
      Incredible Hulk
      instruction
      intermediate level
      international
      introductory
      introductory ice climbing course
      Italy
      John Muir Trail
      John Muir Wilderness
      June Lake
      June Mountain
      Jungfrau
      Kautz Glacier
      kids
      kids climbing programs
      Las Vegas
      lee vining
      Lee Vining area
      lee vining canyon
      level 1
      level 1 refresher
      level 2
      light and fast
      lightweight
      Lone Pine
      Lone Pine Peak
      Lovers Leap
      Mammoth Lakes
      Mammoth Lakes to Yosemite
      Mammoth Mountain
      Mammoth to June
      Mammoth to Yosemite
      Matterhorn
      McGee Creek
      Merriam Peak
      mixed climbing
      Monch
      Mont Blanc
      Mont Blanc run
      Mount Conness
      Mount Dana
      Mount Emerson
      Mount Gabb
      Mount Humphreys
      Mount Mills
      Mount Rainier
      mountain running
      mountaineering
      Mountaineers Route
      Mt Conness
      Mt. Dana
      Mt. Emerson
      Mt. Humphreys
      Mt. Russell
      Mt. Sill
      Mt. Tom
      Mt. Whitney
      Mt. Winchell
      mules
      multiday
      negatives
      Nevada
      North Palisade
      North Peak
      north ridge
      onion valley to mt. whitney
      Ortler
      Owens River Gorge
      pack outfit
      pack support
      packers
      palisades
      Palisades Glacier Camp
      peak descents
      Peter Croft
      Pine Creek
      Polemonium Peak
      porters
      Positive Vibrations
      private
      private custom
      professional development
      Red and White Mountain
      Red Dihedral
      red rock
      Red Slate Mountain
      rescue skills
      Ritter Range
      rock
      rock 201
      rock climbing
      Rock Creek
      Rock Creek to Mammoth
      Sabre Ridge
      San Joaquin Ridge
      self arrest
      self belay
      self rescue
      Sequoia National Park
      sherpas
      Sierra
      Sierra 5.10
      sierra alpine
      Sierra Mountain Guides
      Sierra Nevada
      Sierra skiing
      single pitch instructor
      ski
      ski guiding
      ski tour
      ski touring
      snow
      snow skills
      snowboard
      SPI
      splitboard
      sport
      sport climbing
      Starlight Peak
      supported
      Switzerland
      Tahoe
      Temple Crag
      third pillar
      Thompson Pass
      Thunderbolt Peak
      Tioga
      trad climbing
      trail running
      traverse
      Tuolumne
      Ultra Trail Mont Blanc
      ultralight
      Valdez
      Via Ferrata
      white line
      wilderness trip
      winter
      Yosemite
      yosemite national park
      Yost Meadow
      Zermatt
      Zermatt Valley

    TRIP ITINERARY: Sawtooths Ski Mountaineering Traverse

    DAY 1

    Meet your guide very early in the morning in Bridgeport. After a gear check and final packing we head up to Twin Lakes where the adventure will begin and end. Ascend Robinson Creek to Little Slide Canyon and up to camp beneath the Incredible Hulk, a 1000+ foot spire of granite that attracts climbers all summer. If time, energy, and conditions allow, there are some couloirs on both sides of it that are worth checking out.

    DAY 2

    Climb up past Maltby Lake and up to Ice Lake. From there, before heading to Ice Lake Pass, there is an unlikely geologic fault that has formed a large couloir up to the southeast. This lead to the shoulder of Eocene Peak (11,569'), and with a bit of mountaineering leads easily to the summit. We descend the steep northeast face of Eocene Peak into the upper reaches of Blacksmith Creek. Set camp near Glacier Lake and get another ski run or two in this amazing drainage as time and energy allow.

    DAY 3

    Ascend up toward one of the coolest passages of the trip called Hawk's Head Notch, located at the low point of the North Ridge of Blacksmith Peak. Then ski down to the north and cross over to Avalanche Lake. From there we climb to Cleaver Col, an unlikely break in the precipitous ridge known as the Cleaver to access the Horse Creek drainage, where we set up our final camp.

    DAY 4

    With daypacks we aim to climb and ski Matterhorn Peak (12, 279'), the high point of the trip and an iconic Sierra ski mountaineering peak. There are many classic lines on and around it and we will choose whatever looks best for the day. Descend to pick up camp and finish the 5000 foot descent down Horse Creek back to Twin Lakes, and the end of the journey!

    Prerequisites:

    • Advanced-expert downhill skiing skills
    • Ability to control speed and execute fall-line turns in control and comfort in difficult snow conditions (deep powder, heavy and/or moist snow, breakable crust, firm or icy, etc.)
    • Ability to execute hop turns on 40 degree+, firm slopes, coming to a complete and immediate stop at the finish of each turn
    • Ability to sideslip forward and backward, with edge control, on steep, firm slopes
    • Experience ski touring in the backcountry using ski touring equipment (boots, bindings, skins, transceiver, shovel, probe, etc.)
    • Ability to make uphill facing kick-turns in an uphill track on a steep slope
    • Experience in multi-day winter camping and/or mountaineering
    • Experience with the use of climbing ropes and technical competency in use of ice axe, crampons, and ski crampons
    • Excellent fitness

    Cost Includes:

    • SMG Guide(s)
    • Group camping gear and technical gear
    • Meals (dinners and breakfasts)
    • Use of avalanche rescue gear (beacon, shovel, probe)
    • Wilderness Permits

    Not Included:

    • Travel to/from the Eastern Sierra
    • Lodging in the Eastern Sierra
    • Food or drink in towns
    • Snacks/lunches or drinks on the tour
    • Personal or rental equipment
    • Trip Insurance and Mountain Rescue Insurance (recommended)