Gorman > Lang > Quartz

Hydro · Feb 19, 2015

I've been into Gorman a few times and over into both Holt and Lang. This looks like a good weekend to try and make it from Lang overtop to Quartz creek, as the avy conditions are forecasted to be moderate to good in the alpine.

I've conducted a bit of search on this forum for the route, but didn't turn up much useful information.

I don't suppose one of you "Gorman specialist" would be willing to throw a fella bone and let me know the route over? I've looked over Google-Earth and think I have the route, but would like to confirm with someone that may know.

Thanks for the help!

maierch · Feb 20, 2015

Hydro said:
I've been into Gorman a few times and over into both Holt and Lang. This looks like a good weekend to try and make it from Lang overtop to Quartz creek, as the avy conditions are forecasted to be moderate to good in the alpine.

I've conducted a bit of search on this forum for the route, but didn't turn up much useful information.

I don't suppose one of you "Gorman specialist" would be willing to throw a fella bone and let me know the route over? I've looked over Google-Earth and think I have the route, but would like to confirm with someone that may know.

Thanks for the help!

From the Gorman side you go over into Lang and drop down towards the trees and creek. Facing the hill you go up to the left around the trees and keep climbing until you are up in a saddle which drops down into the park. From there you go up on the ridge almost to the peak then drop down to your left, around the big wind lip then down into East Quartz. From there you will drop down onto a lake from there you want to work your way down through the trees where you will eventually end up out on the logging road. There is an easier way that goes right down the creek however there is a huge avalanche exposure from the peak to the north so be wary of that no matter the conditions. Once you find the logging road you can follow it out to the quartz trail.

tex78 · Feb 20, 2015

I was going to post this, but u did a bang up job

Still easy to miss turns ect, without knowing where to go

I have it in my brain gps....

CATPRIDE · Feb 20, 2015

Ok how long of trip would this be on the average. Obviously you would not attempt this is a blizzard but a average 4-6 hours? or Longer just sled time. Sure is a long walk back to the truck to get trailer.

Hydro · Feb 20, 2015

That is a path I generated in Google Maps. I think it's how you described it, and where I initially thought the path was, as I had seen people going that direction before.

According to Google Earth, it's 12km from the entrance to Lang to where the path meets up with the Quartz Creek trail (approximately). Which is about 7.5 miles.

maierch · Feb 20, 2015

CATPRIDE said:
Ok how long of trip would this be on the average. Obviously you would not attempt this is a blizzard but a average 4-6 hours? or Longer just sled time. Sure is a long walk back to the truck to get trailer.

On tracked out/ hard snow I would imagine the connection would only take about an hour or two if you stuck to the task at hand. Keep in mind that there is a lot of full on Alpine riding, if it socks in you might be stuck hitch hiking back to town!

Hydro said:
View attachment 184295

That is a path I generated in Google Maps. I think it's how you described it, and where I initially thought the path was, as I had seen people going that direction before.

According to Google Earth, it's 12km from the entrance to Lang to where the path meets up with the Quartz Creek trail (approximately). Which is about 7.5 miles.

You've pretty much got the route there. Right in between the two waypoints titled "East Quartz Lake/ Pond" and "East Quartz Meadow 1" is the huge exposure following the creek. You're better off to try to make your way down through the trees (Green Line).

CATPRIDE · Feb 20, 2015

I got this.

tex78 · Feb 20, 2015

Re: Gorman > Lang > Quartz

maierch said:
On tracked out/ hard snow I would imagine the connection would only take about an hour or two if you stuck to the task at hand. Keep in mind that there is a lot of full on Alpine riding, if it socks in you might be stuck hitch hiking back to town!

You've pretty much got the route there. Right in between the two waypoints titled "East Quartz Lake/ Pond" and "East Quartz Meadow 1" is the huge exposure following the creek. You're better off to try to make your way down through the trees (Green Line).

View attachment 184296

100 % correct

Good areas between

Hydro · Feb 20, 2015

Re: Gorman > Lang > Quartz

Thanks for the help. We'll take your advice and make our way through the trees. We'll be watching the weather closely. Hopefully we don't get socked in. TWN is calling for sunshine!! (pray). I've got my GPS, Sat Phone and survival gear if it comes to it.

I've pdf'd a map with screen shots (GPS points) if anyone wants it... (I'm probably making a mountain out of a mole hill, as it's probably a very well known well used trail...) but it'll be my first time over the top and I want to make sure I know where I'm going... pm me and I'll email it to you.

JMCX · Feb 20, 2015

Re: Gorman > Lang > Quartz

You will see this when in the saddle from Lang looking towards East Quartz:

I have never had any luck finding a way through the trees along Maierch's green line. It gets real tight and steep as you get towards the cut-block. The only time we found another option from the red line (which is the definition of a terrain trap and I doubt doable this year with the lack of snow) was even further south along those slopes, sidehill a bit through the trees and drop straight towards the cut-block. I doubt this is an option either this year. If you do decide to drop down the creek (red line) be aware that it gets narrow and without enough snow there may be deep open holes to the water. Sometimes slides fill it in nicely though. You just don't want to be there for the next one. Also note that the logging road up to there is deactivated and there are small streams running across in several places and, again, being a bad snow year they may be a pain.

Hydro · Feb 20, 2015

Thanks. We'll be taking it easy. If it looks dicey, we'll turn around. This is all assuming we can even get to the top. I've got a newbie with me.

oler1234 · Feb 20, 2015

Re: Gorman > Lang > Quartz

Good luck with the red line. I have done te green line, it requires you to go up through the creek bed. As mention steep, have yor **** together for it. There is another way in, but I leave that for you to find

tex78 · Feb 20, 2015

Re: Gorman > Lang > Quartz

oler1234 said:
Good luck with the red line. I have done te green line, it requires you to go up through the creek bed. As mention steep, have yor **** together for it. There is another way in, but I leave that for you to find

The trees, creek way is the fun way , and my preference.... But with a newbie might not go that way

Hydro · Feb 20, 2015

Any of you been that way this year?

oler1234 · Feb 20, 2015

Nope. Heard cutting through gorman to east Quartz was pretty iffy at best. Snow along that ridge was Icey. With te high Avy hazards this year I am not sure why you would want to go in there. Mind yea most of the cycle has come Down.

06 Dragon · Feb 20, 2015

We went back into Quartz lake on Monday. Have to pick your trail down through the large rocks
to get down onto the lake. Snow is a little skinny and be aware of the land mines lurking just below the top of the snow. If you see rock sticking up above go way wide. Tweeted a lose a arm on the pro in there on Saturday and had to ride the viper on Monday. Have fun.

Hydro · Feb 23, 2015

Well.... Had a ton of fun back there! We found both routes to Quartz. I had no idea you could go straight west, up and over, several times, and look right down into Quartz; rather than going south, up and over into East Quartz and then down through the creek bed. From our first vantage point, we saw people racing up the Quartz creek trail after our trek back on Saturday; which was a route I had not intended on taking, but was convinced by one of the locals to follow him...

We went back into East Quartz on Sunday via the route y'all helped me with. We basically stayed in the 1st bowl all day. We didn't even drop down to the lake. Had too much fun putting fresh lines on everything. Probably one of the best days I've had in the mountains this year. Blue Bird, too warm for a jacket, pretty deep snow considering the lack of precipitation this year, and good friends sending it on Sunday.

If you want to see pics and vids, check out our Facebook page, Haywire Turbo Crew.

oler1234 · Feb 23, 2015

Did you meet the local at the parking lot? Brian?

from the sounds of it you were on your way to Quartz lake, not east Quartz. There are no lakes up in east Quartz worth noting.

JMCX · Feb 23, 2015

Yeah, it definitely sounds like he went through Cirque and to the ridge above Quartz lakes where you can look into the Prairie Hills. His pictures from Sunday were from East Quartz though for sure. Better looking snow than I thought you'd find.

Hydro · Feb 24, 2015

oler1234 said:
Did you meet the local at the parking lot? Brian?

from the sounds of it you were on your way to Quartz lake, not east Quartz. There are no lakes up in east Quartz worth noting.

You are correct! Brian asked if he could join us... I knew about him before (someone last year mentioned to me in the parking lot that he's kickass), so I eagerly said yes! We didn't go into East Quartz on Saturday.

JMCX said:
Yeah, it definitely sounds like he went through Cirque and to the ridge above Quartz lakes where you can look into the Prairie Hills. His pictures from Sunday were from East Quartz though for sure. Better looking snow than I thought you'd find.

You are also 100% correct. Ridge above the Prairie Hills (through Cirque) on Saturday, and East Quartz (via the trail I initially scoped on Google Earth) on Sunday.

Gorman > Lang > Quartz

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