Crystal Range Traverse

The Crystal Range Traverse travels on mainly 3rd class terrain for 2 miles running from Pyramid Peak to Mt Price. The true Crystal Range spans from Pyramid Peak (9985') at the south, all the way to Tells Peak to the north.

When I did the route we went south to north. I have read trip reports of people going north to south. But, going S>N allows you to climb up the 4th class step as opposed to down climbing it. The route I chose started at Lyons Creek trailhead off of Wrights Lake Road. You follow the relatively flat trail up to Sylvia lake at which point you head south to gain the west ridge of Pyramid peak. You put in about 2000' of gain from Sylvia lake to the top of Pyramid Peak. At the top of Pyramid, sign the register and head north for Peak 9686. About halfway between Pyramid Peak and 9686 you will encounter the 4th class step, it looks a lot more intimidating than it actually is. After the step, hug the edge of the ridge for maximum exposure and maximum 3rd class terrain up to Mt Agassiz. Agassiz has this amazing granite wave of a summit that puts you up on a pulpit above the Lake Aloha basin. Again sign the register here and keep heading north to Mount Price. After you tag the summit work around the south-west shoulder of the peak until you find a decent place to down climb (exposed 3rd class). follow the ridge just below the crest on the west side until you reach a prominent notch at about 9670'. From here there is a somewhat loose down-climb to the huge never ending slab walk off that links you to the PCT at Mosquito Pass. Once on the PCT follow it out to the trailhead of choice. We opted to take it all the way out and down horsetail falls and hitched a ride back to our car on Highway 50.

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