Cement Basin is one of those areas that you reach when on top of East Peak. It’s a nice eastern slope that because of it’s aspect consistently gets loaded with snow. While it’s not nearly as big as some other areas there are a handful of good lines. That being said there are two big gullies to drop into but are open because they are avalanche paths. Dropping in you should use a bit of hesitation but when and if things are stable it’s an amazing pitch and fun line usually filled with deep powder. Knowing this we made our way out there and we’re fortunate enough to make first tracks.
Heading up East Peak to go Check out Cement Basin
Knowing the snow was still good in the Crystal Mountain Backcountry from the previous day Ben and I camped near the the ski resort. The next morning we were woken up by Boot knocking on the window. After a few minutes of making coffee it was time to head up the Bullion Basin Trail. Once at the base of the southwest slopes of East Peak we broke off and started putting in a new skin track. The previous year there was a fire in the area and it felt weird skinning through the charred trees.
As we skinned up we saw no natural signs of instability. Laying in the skin track we would go to step sections and put in a cut but couldn’t get any movement. It was making us start to feel confident with the snowpack.
We put in a mellow skin track in hopes of using it again if we descended down East Peak. Before long we were making our way on the upper open slopes and up to the ridge.By now it was around 11:30 and we had to make a decision as to ride Cement Basin or East Peak.
Tracking Out Cement Basin
Looking towards Cement Basin the snow looked a bit better and there were no track yet. Thinking it was only a matter of time before that changed we decided it was the place to go. We dropped in one at a time with me go first and carefully ski cutting the steepest section before traversing to safety . With nothing moving I watched both Ben and Boot drop in finding stable and amazing powder for 800 feet all the way to the flats below and meeting the other crews down in the bottom.
Once in the basin we broke the skin back up to the ridge waiting to see other people drop in. Knowing how good the lines were we thought it would be any second. Once up on the ridge we were surprised that the gully to the left was still untracked. We decided since we had already broken in the skin track in Cement Basin we might as well ride the other chute.
Once again I dropped in first and did a big ski cut. With us feeling safe with the slopes once again Boot and Ben dropped in one at a time. The line was just as good as the first one and now with both the lines tracked out it was time to head over to East Peak.
Heading back up our skin track in Cement Basin we started seeing groups drop in. Every few minutes we would see another group of two putting lines around the surrounding terrain. Once making it back on the ridge we focused our attention on East Peaks and its southeast slopes.
Ending the Day With Two Laps off East Peak
With the burned out trees we feared potentially fallen trees being covered in a foot of new snow. With that in mind we decided to ride in an area that wasn’t affected, Heading a little ways down the ridge we dropped in and found some great open slopes down to our old skin track.
As we went lower there were a few tracks in before the steep lower roller but it was easy to get clean turns. While it wasn’t as good as Cement Basin it was a fun line. Soon we were back at the skin track down bottom.
Once back at the skin track Ben and I said goodbye to Boot and took one more final run down the NW side of East Peak.It was getting late in the day as we rode all the way back to the car in the Crystal Mountain Parking lot. We were happy that we had found great snow conditions and were able to ski some really fun lines before he had to head back town for the work week.
Thank you for reading this trip lapping Cement Basin. If you want to see more ski tours within Crystal Mountain Backcountry check out this link.