Crandell

Height: 7,802 ft
View-o-meter: 2/5
Scrambling Difficulty: Mostly Easy
Total Trip Difficulty: Easy
Best Feature: Views of the prominent peaks are similar to what you're used to
Worst Part: Rounded summit with radio tower

There are a number of different scrambling routes that lead to Crandell's summit. The standard route (and main descent route) heads up the south east buttress.


The east slopes of Crandell as seen from the Maskinoge and Park gates

Drive towards the Warden's compound just east of the townsite. Instead of going into the compound, take the road to the right that leads to the waste transfer station. At the crest of the hill an old gravel road leads towards Crandell. Park here and walk up the old road. In a few hundred meters you get to a washout. The route up tick ridge goes lest along a prominent game trail. To head up the south east buttress drop into the creek and follow it up for about 3/4 of a km.

A small dry streambed comes in from the right. This coincides with some apparent passages through the ledges above. A game/scrambler's trail should be somewhat visible here. If you can't find the trail - don't sweat it, you will run into it eventually as you head up the talus slopes above. As you gain elevation and get out from the ledges, tend a little bit right. The grass over to the right makes easier going than the talus to the left.

Once you gain the ridge, follow it up and to the left. Near the top you'll enter a nice bowl that keeps late season snow. The ridge is cleaner on the right. The summit is marked by a helicopter landing pad that has some really painful slivers and a nasty smell of tar and creosote.


Crandell's west and south slopes as seen from the Bertha falls trail

Other routes up Crandell
- Tick Ridge (the ridge to the left of the south east buttress)
- Knife Edge ridge (South ridge or Cockscomb)
-North Gullies


Other Route Descriptions

Vern Dewit's scrambling page - lots of pictures of the knife edge ridge. The south east buttress is described in his decent.

Summitpost.org - some good general information and a link to the north couloirs from trailpeak.com