Starting at the Crystal Mountain base start ascending up the side of Gold Hills and keep heading up the basin once you get above the chairlift. Before long you will reach the crux of this trip being a waterfall that you need to climb around on the lookers left. Once that is done it is time for some easy skinning once again as you start heading Southwest. The trick to this route is to keep climbing a bit more west to gain the ridge of Pickhandle Point where you can make your way safely all the way to the summit.

Once standing on top you can plan your turns as the face is wide open. That being said this area can get wind loaded and has potential for big slabs so make sure you are confident in the snowpack before descending. Once you feel good just drop in and ride fall line and before long you will ride down to the flats. For your next ascent make your way south up to the low col before climbing to the summit of Crown Point.

From the summit of Crown Point drop the Northwest face riding back down to the valley and your old skin track. Remember that waterfall? Well don’t think about riding down it and make sure to skirt skiers right around it and before long you will be riding down the open slopes of Gold Hills down to the base.

Click here for a trip within the area and much more photos https://www.whereiskylemiller.com/crystal-mountain/pickhandle-point/