• Varied mountain terrain including some fairly steep slopes (35 degrees or so)
  
• 37 miles in 4 to 6 days
  
• Cumulative gain, loss: +9900', -11300'
  
• Avg. Relief: 600'/mile
  
• Topos: Sonora Pass, Tower Pk., Matterhorn Pk. (15'); Sonora Pass, Emigrant Lk., Tower Pk., Buckeye Ridge, Matterhorn Pk. (7.5')
  

	Mellow terrain approaching Grizzly Peak (on right)

	Tower Peak, and the bench along its northern side

Now, let's do Sonora to Sawtooth. This tour could be done in either direction, but I've opted to describe it north-to-south because of the epic 4500' descent off of Sawtooth Ridge at the southeast end of the tour. This stretch of the Sierra Crest tends to hold its snowpack longer than most; its 9600' average elevation makes it fine for mid-to-late-spring. You may want to wait until Hwy 108 is open, or at least open on the east side to the starting trailhead, about 3.5 miles east of Sonora Pass (for the most accurate information about exactly where the closure is, call the local Caltrans maintenance station, 760-932-7261). But then, the starting trailhead isn't all that far from the winter road closure at Leavitt Meadow.

Start by skiing up along Leavitt Creek from where you park along Sonora Pass Road (the route leaves the highway at 8400'). Go to Leavitt Lake, and then head east of south to attain the Sierra Crest. Traverse southward, staying east of the crest at the head of Kennedy Canyon. Then cross over the crest, and contour around the headwaters of Kennedy Creek. Head up the northeast bowl to just east of the summit of Peak 10824', then drop down the bowl east of the peak's south side. This is a good place for Camp 1.

Day 2 is filled with the kind of mellow terrain that might lend itself to waxless-patterned skis (or perhaps narrow skins). There are several options, all starting from the above Camp 1:

• Take gentle terrain over to the west side of the crest at High Emigrant Lake, then continue south around Grizzly Peak's west side. Turn southeast and follow the trail route to Summit Meadow and Bond Pass. Descend into the Falls Creek drainage and head east over Dorothy Lake to Dorothy Lake Pass.

• Go south and cross over to the west side of the crest just east of Grizzly Peak. Stay high as you continue southward to Bond Pass. Drop down into Falls Creak drainage and go east to Dorothy Lake Pass.

• Go south towards Grizzly Peak, then turn east to Grizzly Lake. From there, go southeast to a bowl that breaks the wall about a half-mile west of Bonnie Lake. Descend to Stella Lake.

	Evening colors in the upper Slide Canyon area

Take a nice pass from Lake Helen to Tower Lake, then ascend southward from Tower Lake to the Sierra Crest overlooking Mary Lake. From the crest, turn east, then southeast, as you ascend to the spectacular bench along the northeast base of Tower Peak. Descend wonderful east-facing bowls, and traverse east to the base of the striking Hawksbeak Peak. Turn southeast to cross the Sierra Crest yet again, at the top of Thompson Canyon, a fine place for Camp 3.

Cross over to the east side of Thompson and traverse south to the 10100' pass that takes you across to the top of Kerrick Meadow. Continue east to and across Peeler Lake. From Peeler, proceed south of east to a little over 9800', and descend eastward into Robinson Lakes. Proceed south to Crown Lake, and take a winding route, generally south and then east, over 10450' Mule Pass. (An alternate route from Kerrick Meadow to Mule Pass is to go to lower Kerrick, and ascend a bowl to the east, traversing around to Rock Island Pass. Get from Rock Island to Mule via a traverse around 10300', or via the lower trail route.) Descend Mule Pass generally via the trail route, east, then north, then east again, finally traversing north to take Camp 4 in the bench area overlooking Slide Canyon, at 9900'.

There are two options for the final day:

• Perhaps the most expedient route is to pop over the crest to Ice Lake, and descend Little Slide Canyon (if the lakes are too melted out to ski across, descend from the crest to Ice Lake's outlet, then cross over to a side-gulley 1/4-mile east of Maltby Lake).

• However, a more fitting finale is to ascend 11569' (11581' on the older 15' topo) Mt. Eocene. Start your ascent from Ice Lake, taking a gulley southeast up to 10900', then turn northeast to get the rest of the way up. Take off those skins, shorten your poles, and enjoy a long descent along Blacksmith Creek.

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