Ski Trails

The Dutton Cliffs on the East Rim are extremely prone to avalanches. The Dutton Cliffs Bypass allows skiers to bypass Dutton Cliffs. This bypass can be accessed by turning South onto the Pinnacle Road fro m east Rim Drive close to the bottom of Dutton Cliffs. Skiers follow Pinnacle Road east for approximately 1 mile before seeing a sign in a tree on the right side of the road that points the way for the bypass route. This route takes skiers back up to Rim Drive above. The bypass climbs an extremely steep grade for approximately 3/4 of a mile and gains 800 feet before reaching East Rim Drive. This bypass is only recommended for intermediate to advanced skiers. All skiers that use this bypass are advised to use climbing skins. The Grayback Road is a more suitable route around Dutton Cliffs avalanche zone. The Grayback route only adds a mile and half to the total trip.

The Grayback Road can be used as a bypass route around Dutton Cliffs. The Ski Patrol advises using this unplowed road when skiing the rim because Dutton Cliffs are extremely prone to avalanching . Turn onto Pinnacle Road near Kerr Notch right before the start of the bottom of Dutton Cliffs (if you start on the West Rim) and follow Pinnacle Road for 3 miles before turning west on the east end of Grayback Road. Follow the bright red-orange metal tree tags for 4.5 miles until reaching Vidae Falls picnic area. It is approximately 200 yards south of East Rim Drive, and 250 yards from Vidae Falls. Note: the red- orange tree tags (route makers) can be covered when the snow depth reaches 12 feet.

	The east end Vidae Ridge Trailhead and Bypass is located on the southwest corner of the Vidae Falls picnic loop. It is right across from the west end of Grayback Road near East Rim Drive by Vidae Falls.
	The west end trailhead is located at the beginning of the old Crater Peak Trail.
	The Vidae Ridge Bypass is marked with both blue and orange markers and is approximately 1.5-mile detour back to East Rim Drive.
	If you are starting your ski from the West Rim Trailhead, use the Grayback Bypass first. Navigate Grayback Bypass until reaching Vidae Falls picnic loop junction. The loop is approximately 250 yards from East Rim Drive. The bypass trailhead begins on the south corner of the loop. Travel southwest from the trailhead along Sun Creek for 1/3 mile before turning west and crossing Sun Creek. Note: the creek is snowed over in winter. The trail takes several dog-legs in the meadow around the creek before heading southwest again along a heavily-forested hillside. Skiers need to pay attention in this area in order to follow the markers. Follow the hillside for another 1/3 of a mile uphill before the trail turns north and connects with the Crater Peak Trail. Then follow the Crater Peak Trail for 1/4 mile until reaching East Rim Drive
	Note: if starting on the East Rim near Vidae Falls, reverse the above directions. The bypass then starts at old Crater Peak Trailhead and ends at Vidae Falls picnic loop. Top of Page

During high avalanche conditions on the East Rim, day skiers are advised to use the Vidae Ridge Bypass and the Applegate Avalanche Bypass routes to ski to Sun Notch. Follow the Vidae Ridge Bypass that starts at old Crater Peak Trailhead. The Applegate Bypass starts near the west end of Grayback Bypass by Vidae Falls picnic loop. Follow Grayback Road for less than 1/4 mile before turning right into Sun Meadows. Stay right until reaching East Rim Drive just past Sun Notch..

1. Bottom of the Watchman to the corrals at Hillman Peak, approximately 2.5 miles.

Note this section can be very dangerous in icy conditions once snow pack fills in the road bed. Then the angel of the slope can be come very steep and difficult to get edging with your skis. Caution advised in this area Carry climbing skins.

2. Bottom of Llao Rock near the North Junction to road summit, approximately 2 miles.

3. From the Wineglass to the road summit near Mt Scott, approximately 5.5 miles.

4 From Lost Creek Campground to the top of Grayback summit, approximately 2.5 miles. (Recommended Ski Route to follow in all conditions: Grayback Road).

5. From the bottom of Dutton Cliffs to road summit, approximately 3 miles. (Note: this section of the rim is not recommended to ski, as skiers put themselves at risk crossing Dutton Cliffs) .

	Starts: At either the West or East Rim Trailheads
	Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
	This Rim Ski Trail follows the unplowed and unmarked rim drive roadway. Special note: skiers need to be in good physical shape, register at headquarters before skiing the rim,. and park in the appropriate overnight parking areas. Overnight parking is permitted only at the Park Headquarters or Rim Village parking lots. Ask for directions to the overnight parking area when picking up your permit. See Winter Regulations
	Distance: 30 to 33 miles total if skier start from West Rim Trailhead and travels counter-clock-wise back to East Rim Trailhead. This distance depends on which Avalanche Bypass routs are taken.
	Skiers who use the Dutton Cliffs Avalanche Bypass back to rim road above adds 1 mile to trip. Skiers who ski down Pinnacles road from East Rim at Kernotch and ski to Lost Creek and then follows the Grayback Road to Vida Falls to East Rim will add 2 miles to the total distance. Then in Extreme condition will add one more mile if skiers uses the Vidae Ridge Bypass to Crater Peak winter TH. Please see MAPS of bypasses: Grayback Bypass Rout.pdf and Sunnotch Vidae Ridge Area for more details.
	Distance: 33 to 36 miles if skier skis form East Rim trailhead. clockwise to West Rim trailhead. .Please see MAPS of bypasses: Grayback Bypass Rout and Sunnotch Vidae Ridge Area for more details. Note: When skier gets back to West Rim Village if they start form East Rim TH, skiers need to ski down the Raven Trail to HQ to retrieve their car:. see map of Rim Village Headquarters Area to view rout down Raven trail. Also see Raven trail for more details.
	The rim’s terrain is extremely hilly and can be very dangerous in icy and high avalanche conditions. The major climbs can vary depending on the route chosen, if skiers use the bypasses to navigate around avalanche areas.
	The entire rim route is recommended as a three-day overnight ski. Due to some conditions, it may take more or less time to circumnavigate the rim. Skiers are encouraged to take plenty of extra food and fuel. Crater Lake can receive up to 3 or 4 feet of snow in a 48-hour period. Be prepared for heavy snowfall.
	. There are four major climbs and many smaller ones. The major climbs, starting from the West Rim are:

	Start: West Rim parking lot near hotel
	End: Headquarters by the entry gate
	Level: Moderate to advanced
	Distance: One-way 1 mile.
	This route begins on top of cirque directly east of the hotel at Rim Village and ends at Park Headquarters. It descends steeply and rapidly through snow-covered hemlocks and involves several sharp curves. Immediately upon leaving the woods, the trail crosses a potentially dangerous avalanche path; caution is advised. During moderate to high avalanche conditions, skiers are advised to avoid skiing through the bottom of the avalanche chute at the bottom of the trail, and ski as close to Rim Drive as possible. This trail can be fast and exciting under powdery conditions. Top of Page

	Start: Highway 62, across from Lodgepole picnic area.
	End: Stuart Falls is 1/2 mile inside the Sky Lakes Wilderness Area.
	Level: Moderate to Pacific Crest Trail. Moderate to advanced from PCT to Stuart Falls.
	Distance: Round trip 11 . 8 miles
	Rolling forest terrain takes you to this icy waterfall, which is rarely visited in winter. Towering hemlock, fir, and pine line this long trail, which crosses the Pacific Crest Trail at the 2.9-mile mark. The next 2.6 miles can be very dangerous in icy conditions, but extremely fun in powder. During the winter, the icy falls are a breath-taking sight.
	Sections of this trail are poorly marked and very difficult to follow, thus making a map and compass essential items on this true backcountry experience.
	Note: because of the remote location and the 1200-foot climb back up to the PCT from Stewart Falls, skiers are advised to have at least two others accompany them on this trip to help break trail when new snow reaches over six inches deep. Skiers are also advised to tell family and friends where they are going before making this trek. Top of Page

	Start: West Rim Parking Lot:
	End: Highway 62 or Annie Spring entrance station. Note: this trail is usually skied from the top down because of the distance and steepest.
	Level: Advanced
	Distance: One way - 13.3 miles Trails Distances West Rim to Lightening Springs TH 3.5 miles Lightening Springs TH to the PCT 4.0 miles PCT & Lightening Springs to Dutton Creek Junction 3.7 miles Dutton Creek Junction to Hwy 62 2.1 miles
	Overview : This trail descends steeply and steadily through several large bowls and meadows on the upper section, then enters a large burn area near the Junction of the PCT. .This trails can feature up to 6 major creek crossings, that can be difficult to cross if steams are open In some seasons, or after major warming trends the snowpack will not cover these water ways.. Look for snow brides to help navigate across the open steam areas. Caution is advised when crossing open creek areas.
	This trail is marginally marked and can be difficult to follow in deep snowpacks or right after major snow storms, thus making a GPS and a map and compass essential items on this true backcountry experience.. ( It is recommend that you use your GPS map software and pre program your way points before going on this outrageous ski! ; ) or plug in a few of the coordinates in Grids of Latitudes and Longitudes'(hddd ."mmm-mm"), Datum WGS 84 from this site...Enjoy. : )
	This very adventurous ski starts at the beginning of West Rim trailheads and follow the West Rim road for 3.5 miles before reaching the trailhead of Lighting Spring : At the coordinates of N42 56.081 W122 10.212 and at the Elevation of 7144. From there the Lightening Springs Trail drops 1325 feet in 4.0 miles before reaching the PCT trail. below at the coordinates of N42 55.575 W122 13.204 at the elevation of 5815. Note: From the Lightening Springs Trailhead Sign the trail goes NW for approximately 1/3 of a mile before dropping SW into a series of bowls where the trail" Zigzags" thought a series of steep bowls. This trail is marked with both red metal and blue plastic markers. Note: the red metal markers are placed around ten to twelve feet up on the trees and are usually covered by the deeper snowpack. The Blue marks where set out during the 2007 season while the snowpack was only 90 inches. Blue markers will be hard to follow in deeper snowpack than 100 inches. The lower portion of the Lightening Springs trail enters a big burn area near the PCT trail, and where the trail crosses Bybee creek.. The burn area extents for approximately 2 miles south on the PCT before reaching the old growth forest. The red metal markers that are on both the Lightening Springs and PCT Trails extends to the junction of PCT and where Dutton Creek trail meets the PCT. From Dutton Creek junction to Hwy 62 the trail is marked with only blue diamonds. The trail can crosses up to 5 streams during the course of the trip. At the coordinates of 42 55.575 W122 13.204 and at the elevation of 5815 you reach the first creek crossing of Bybee Creek and the PCT .This creek crossing is located just south on the PCT where Lighting Spring Trail mergers with the PCT. Approximately 1 & 1/2 miles from PCT and Lightening Springs junction and .at the coordinates of N42 54.983 W122 12.455 and at the elevation 5899 the trail crosses another tributary of Bybee Creek.: In another 1/4 from the last crossing at the coordinates of N42 54.866 W122 12.315 and at the evaluation of 5921 the trail will cross the another tributary fork of Bybee creek on the PCT In approximately 2 miles the trail will cross Trapper Creek. at the coordinates of N42 54.036 W122 10.997 and the elevation of 5976. In another 1.2 miles the trail will cross a tributary of Castle Creek at the coordinates of N42 53.511 W122 10.650 and the elevation of 5999. In just a short distance of 1/4 mile the trail crossed the main tributary of Castle Creek at the coordinates of N42 53.504 W122 10.233 and at the elevation of 6075. In just a short distance of 1/3 mile Dutton Creek Trail merges with the PCT at N42 53.498 W122 10.182 elevation 6080 In just another short distance of 1/4 mile the PCT trail intersects with the main fork of Dutton Creek at the coordinates of N42 53.454 W122 10.100 and the elevations of 6098. ( Note: this can be the most dangerous creek crossing when there is open water. You will find a trail crossing of three log just up stream of Dutton Creek and the PCT. This crossing can be very dangerous when the steam is open water.. Approach and cross with Caution. Use snow bridge 200 yards up stream. Top of Page

	Start: East Rim Parking Area
	End: Sunnotch
	Level: Moderate to advanced when avalanche conditions are high
	Distance : Round trip 10 miles
	Note: during high avalanche conditions adds 2 miles when following the Vidae Ridge and Applegate Bypasses.
	This is an exhilarating alternative to skiing along the rim, especially when the weather is poor. A steady climb takes you up through snow-covered hemlocks with views of Munson Valley and Union Peak. Stop for lunch under the frozen beauty of Vidae Falls. Then continue traveling several miles east until reaching Sun Notch, which is on the rim. You can look straight down a thousand-foot drop to the lake surface onto the Phantom Ship.
	During high avalanche conditions, use the Vidae Falls Bypass route at the old Crater Peak Trailhead to reach Vidae Falls picnic area. Then use the Apple gate Bypass. TURN RIGHT into Sun Meadows, then stay left until reaching East Rim Drive. Note: the last 1/3 mile is a very steep and wooded ridge. Top of Page

	Start: West Rim parking lot
	End: The overlook at the corrals is between Hillman and Watchman peaks.
	Level: Easy to Moderate when icy.
	Distance: Round trip - 10 miles
	This invigorating route follows the Wizard Island Overlook trail along the scenic west rim. It then climbs a 3 % grade around the flanks of Watchman Peak. At times, the traverse across the north face can be treacherous with wind packed ice; caution should be used. An excellent view of Wizard Island awaits you at your destination. Top of Page

	Start: Highway 62
	End: Rim Village
	Level: Moderate to advanced.
	Distance: One way -6.9 miles from Annie Springs Entrance Station to Rim Village.
	Distance to Lightning Springs Trailhead 10 miles
	Skiers can either follow the PCT north for 2.1 miles and turn onto Dutton Creek Trail, or keep going for a total of 5.1 miles before reaching Lightning Springs Trail.
	This trail is poorly marked and is very difficult to follow, thus making a map and compass essential items on this true backcountry experience.
	Skiers need to beware of the steep climb up to the rim.
	See Dutton Creek, or Lighting Springs for instructions Top of Page

	Start: Highway 62
	Ends: Lodgepole picnic area or ends back at same trailhead.
	Level: Moderate
	Distance: UNION PEAK JCT 2.9 miles. Back to PCT trailhead 5.8 miles
	Distance: STUART FALLS JCT 5.1 miles
	Distance: Loop Ski from PCT South trailhead to Lodgepole picnic area 7.1 miles.
	Union Peak's east flank offers a great place to practice tele-turning and stunning views of the Rim.
	For skiers that love to kick and glide, the section from Union Peak back to the Lodgepole trailhead can be extremely rewarding. Nevertheless, navigating the PCT from Union Peak to the junction of Stuart Falls can be difficult to follow the markers.
	The trail goes thought several large meadows; skiers need to pay close attention in these areas to follow the obscure blue markers.
	Skiers can follow several routes once they arrive at the junction of the PCT and Stuart Falls. It is recommenced that skiers who plan to ski to Stuart Falls start at the Lodgepole picnic area. Once skiers arrive at the junction, they are advised to turn left onto the Stuart Falls Trail east. From there, it is only 2.9 miles back to the trailhead.
	Skiers should plan ahead before skiing this great loop ski from the PCT South trailhead to Lodgepole picnic area. A second car is recommended to shuttle skiers back to their car. Top of Page

	Starts: East Rim parking area.
	Ends: Crater Peak.
	Level: Moderate
	Distance: Round trip - 9 miles.
	This trail branches off the East Rim Drive 2.5 miles from headquarters. It follows a high ridge that has both excellent views of the East Rim and of the Klamath Basin. The trail drops off around 350 feet and goes about 1/4 of a mile before reaching the new Vidae Ridge Bypass. In the next 2 miles, you drop another 900 feet before arriving at the base of Crater Peak. Note: the trail to the top of Crater Peak is very steep and is only recommended for advanced skiers. Coordinates below are in Grids of Latitudes and Longitudes'(hddd ."mmm-mm"), Datum WGS 84
	Crater Peak Lower Section: Note: this section is for advanced skiers who have good GPS and map and compass skills. The trail continues from Crater Peak and goes to the South Boundary of the park. ( It is recommend you use your GPS map software and pre program your way points before going on this outrageous ski! ; ) Data provided below is in Grids of Latitudes and Longitudes', Datum WGS 84
	Distance: 16 miles from East Rim Drive Trailhead to Annie Creek snowmobile parking lot located near the south entrance to the park.
	This section of the trail is poorly marked and very difficult to follow, thus making a map and compass essential on this true backcountry experience.
	This section of the trail can only be skied when the snowpack in the lower south section of the park is four feet deep, due to all the downfall timber along the way. Skiers need to pay very close attention in order to follow the obscure old red metal markers. Note: the old red metal markers on this trail can get covered up by the snowpack when it gets over 11 feet. Special attention is needed to follow the trail for the next four miles South of Crater Peak. Skiers will first encounter several large meadow areas. Meadow areas are poorly marked. The trail becomes difficult to follow through the meadow areas for several miles. SEE map: for more details: Crater Peak Middle At the coordinates N42 50.307 W122 05.783 the tails starts its journey though the two large meadows by taking a South West jog though the meadow areas before reaching a very thick Rid Fir thicket just past the last large meadow . At the coordinates N42 49.426 W122 06.000 the trail makes a east turn around the flank of the hill and travel for a mile or so in order to cross an intermitted creek . Just before the intermitted creek the trails take a northeast direction to avoid the steep West side of the creek drainage before turning South again at N42 49.426 W122 06.000. Then the trail crosses the top on the creek drainage to the east side of the intermitted creek. Caution is need in this area so skiers don't get to far down into the steep side west side of this drainage. (see map Crater Peak -Last Section ) The trail continues south and connects to the Boundary Butte Trail 2 miles from the south boundary of the park. Skiers need to stay to the right when they reach this junction. This trail comes out around 3 miles up on the south boundary on Annie Creek Road. Stay right and follow until reaching Annie Creek snowmobile parking lot.
	Skiers need to plan before skiing from the East Rim Trailhead to the south boundary Annie Creek snowmobile parking lot. A second car is recommended to use to shuttle skiers back to their car. Skiers are advised to tell family or friends before going on this back country adventure. Top of Page

	Start: Annie Springs entrance station.
	End: Annie Springs entrance station.
	Level: Easy
	Distance: 1 mile loop
	This trail starts at Annie Spring entrance station and follows the road inside Mazama Campground. This trail is recommended for the beginner skier and has good views of Annie Creek Canyon. Top of Page

	Start: West Rim parking lot.
	End: Discovery Point.
	Level: Easy
	Distance: Round trip - 2 miles.
	The most popular ski trail because this trail provides breathtaking views of the lake, Wizard Island, and the western Cascades, and follows the unplowed roadway. Rolling to flat terrain. Top of Page