Last Updated: December 2, 2023



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  • Mount Gillespie - hike/scramble (October 2022)
  • Cougar Mountain - hike/scramble (October 2022)
  • Barn Bluff (Red Wing, MN) - hike (October 2022)
  • Mount Steele - hike/snowshoe (November 2022)
  • American Mountain (attempt), Hunter Lookout - hike/snowshoe (November 2022)
  • Belcarra Mountain - hike (November 2022)
  • Oyster Dome - hike (November 2022)
  • Mount Thom & Cilliwack Mountain/Hillkeep - hike (December 2022)
  • Frenchman Mountain (Las Vegas, NV) - hike (January 2023)
  • Rolley Peak/Lookout - hike (January 2023)
  • Round Mountain - ski tour (February 2023)
  • Blowdown Peak - ski tour (February 2023)
  • Silverdaisy Mountain - ski tour (March 2023)
  • Spearhead Glacier/Husume Coulior - ski tour (March 2023)
  • Cowboy Ridge/Peak 2026 - ski tour (April 2023)
  • Slahanay Peak - hike/scramble (April 2023)
  • American Mountain & Mount Lincoln - hike/snowshoe (May 2023)
  • Mount Mclean Attempt, Red Rock Trail, Dragons Back Trail - hike (May 2023)
  • Stawamus Chief (South, Middle & North) - hike/scramble (June 2023)
  • Flint & Feather - hike/scramble (June 2023)
  • Goat Ridge (Squamish) - hike (June 2023)
  • Grouty/Mortar Peaks - hike/scramble (June 2023)
  • Pebble-to-North Creek Traverse incl. Pebble, Thiassi, Wesley & Sugus - hike/scramble (July 2023)
  • Mount Truax - hike/scramble (July 2023)
  • Blackcomb Buttress - rock climb (July 2023)
  • Whitecap Peak - hike/scramble (July 2023)
  • Mount Hanover - hike/scramble (August 2023)
  • The "Long Traverse" incl. Long, Tynemouth, Arrowhead, Tabletop & Anemone - hike/scramble (August 2023)
  • Armchair Traverse - hike/scramble (August 2023)
  • Snowspider Mountain - hike/scramble (September 2023)
  • Mount Trorey - hike/scramble (September 2023)
  • Macleod Peak - hike/scramble (September 2023)
  • Ben Lomond - hike/scramble (September 2023)
  • Mount Killam & Gambier Island - hike (September 2023)
  • Lone Goat & Snow Camp Mountain - hike (September 2023)
  • Isollilock Peak - hike/scramble (October 2023)
  • Manson - Hatfield Traverse - hike/scramble (October 2023)
  • Gargoyles & Columnar Peak - hike/scramble (October 2023)
  • Opal Cone and Lava Glacier - hike (October 2023)
  • Park Butte (WA) - hike (October 2023)
  • Trappers Peak (WA) - hike/scramble (October 2023)
  • Rattlesnake Ledge (WA) - hike (November 2023)
  • Sauk Mountain (WA) - hike (November 2023)
  • Mount Daniel & Pender Hill (Sunshine Coast) - hike (November 2022)
  • Mount Dickerman (WA) - hike (November 2022)
  • Winter's End (Verona Peak) - hike/snowshoe (November 2022)

*As of 12/02/2023


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Thursday, December 13, 2012

The 'other' SR 410 rides – Suntop & Crystal, September 2012

Rounding out the selection of assorted MTB rides along the SR 410 corridor, Suntop Mountain and Crystal Mountain offer more of the same quality single-track similar to that found on the NE side of the White River Valley. The ~20 mile Suntop loop starts with a 6 mile road climb to reach a bit of a saddle and where the regular trailhead starts. Continue up for an additional mile or two past the gate to reach the Suntop Lookout proper. There’s an excellent view of Mt. Rainier from up here providing the air isn’t as smoky as it was this year!

For the return, there’s a fair amount of undulating terrain to get past before real downhill fun begins. Having rushed through the first half of the ride, I was pretty well spent by the time I dropped into Buck Creek Valley and started down the rippin’ Fawn Ridge descent. With failing brakes, I barely hung on through the tight switchbacks on the final slope flanking White River Valley. Eventually reaching the valley floor at the Ranger Creek landing strip, I passed on the Skookum Flats Trail for a faster option and rode the highway back to where I parked on FS Rd #73.




If riding the ~14 mile Crystal loop counter-clockwise as Eric and I did, a good place to start is the horse camp on the west side of the Crystal Mountain Boulevard. From there we proceeded to grind up trail 1163 – a trail familiar to me thanks to countless ‘Northback’ ski adventures over the years. Eventually reaching the meadowed ridge crest, the trail turns south and traverses more of Crystal’s winter-time ‘slack country’ north of Morning Glory Bowl. It ends finally at the resort’s access road near Northway Peak. After a break at the Summit House, we began the descent picking up the single-track again at the base of Powder Bowl. Traversing the chutes above Bear Pits, we made our way towards A-Basin and then Silver Basin on excellent single-track. The final, long descent now along the east-side of Silver Creek is a white-knuckle adrenaline joy ride and makes for a fitting finish to a thoroughly enjoyable day of mountain biking.



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