IMTUF 100 Recon: The Crestline Trail

Crestline Trail: the premier mountain run in the McCall area.  Once more in 2011, because July will not come for a looooooooong time.  We began our 20 miler on Lick Creek Road by climbing to Fall Creek Saddle.  We then traversed along the southern portion of the Crestline Trail, passing Blackwell Lake, joining the Crestline proper for its alpine journey northward.  We departed the Crestline Trail at the junction with the Box lake Trail, following it and the Black Lee Creek drainage back to the truck.  4500' of gain and 3-6 inches of snow the whole way: PERFECT!

Slickrock.  A 1000'+ granite monolith stands tall and proud over Lick Creek Road.

B climbs the steep and icy Fall Creek Trail.

Rewarded for our efforts, the view from Fall Creek Summit is amazing.  The Fitsum Peaks in the background.

Looking north at the Northern Crestline Trail and points beyond. 

B descends from Fall Creek Saddle, heading for Blackwell Lake.  Payette Lake and the town of McCall are in the background here.

Wolfpack likes the Crestline Trail too.  Speaking of wolves, B and I just saw two more giants today.  It is really hard to beat McCall if you love wildlife.

B moves through a high alpine meadow below the beautiful Box Peak 7941'.

Climbing higher toward the ridge crest.  Pearly white granite looks like the Sierra Nevadas of California.

B and tree from Poltergeist.

Pausing to take in the view at the Crestline Trail highpoint- just over 8K'.  Beaverdam Peak (8653') in the background.

Once off the saddle of the Crestline, we descend into an icy alpine north face.   A 1000' drop brings us to the shores of Box Lake.

Running the south shore of Box Lake.  One of the true jewels of the McCall Backcountry.

Climbing one more time to Box Lake Pass (7600').

Things are getting blurry as the hours drag on.  Or, perhaps I dropped the camera in the snow?

From Box Lake Pass it is all downhill following Black Lee Creek 4 miles back to the truck.  Not the easiest 4 miles you ever ran downhill.  Check your knees before tackling this one.