MT. SCOTT: CRATER LAKE

As the tallest point on Crater Lake Rim, Mt. Scott boasts stunning views of the lake and a solid backcountry ride down on snowboards/skis. There will be no disappointed faces when reaching the top of Mt. Scott and staring at the epic reflections in Crater Lake below. This route comes in from the East.

Details:

• Distance: 7+ miles
• Time: 5 hours
• Elevation Gain: 2,700+ ft
• Trailhead: NF-2308 Rd (No set trailhead, and no trail)
• Can you ski back to the car?: If there’s enough snow
• Route-Finding Difficulty: Moderate – No trail
• Physical Exertion Difficulty: Moderate
• Map

Getting There:

There is no designated trailhead to climb Mt. Scott from the East side, furthermore, there is no trail. We chose to get as close to the mountain on NF-2308 as we could until we got stuck in the snow (my bad!). You’ll most likely want to have a high clearance vehicle if you want to get as close as possible, as the road is dirt and pretty uneven and bumpy.

Hiking Up Mt. Scott:

You’ll want to hike up towards the peak, staying on the left side of the Ridgeline. The trees aren’t too tight, and eventually, you will meet up with the summer trail. The skin up to the summer trail is pretty mellow, but you never really get a good view of the summit or the bowls you’ll be snowboarding down. When you reach the summer trail there are switchbacks, and at some point, you will most likely end up changing over to crampons.

Once you reach the ‘top’ you will traverse the Ridgeline towards the true summit of Mt. Scott which you will easily spot when you see the fire tower on top.

The ‘wow’ factor that views of Crater Lake bring to the backdrop of this backcountry tour is incredible. When the lake comes into view, prepare to be impressed with the pure beauty that this area has to offer. After you’ve gotten your fill, the fun begins!

Getting Back to the Car:

When talking about the way down, there will be two options facing east. If you’re standing on top looking down, the left side will look more appealing, and it very well might be. However, depending on where you parked, the left side will not take you back to your car. If you parked where we did, you’ll want to stick to skiers right as you head down the bowl.

This bowl provides a 25-degree slope or so of pure fun. As you continue down, you’ll begin to hit some trees, and they will thicken the farther you go. Continue to keep right as you go down so that you end up reasonably close to where you parked. We did notice a section where a lot of people ski up and out of the bowl and hit their up-track. We missed it, but if you can hit this spot, the way down will be way more straightforward, and you won’t have any traversing at the end. It would be right about here.

You’ll eventually hit the road and can head back to where you parked. Congratulations on a job well done! This is a fantastic peak to bag and it is pretty beginner-friendly providing that you have crampons. If you want ideas on other tours to do around Crater Lake, check out Watchman Peak and Garfield Peak.

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Jay's Current Backcountry Gear

Tyese's Current Backcountry Gear

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