Soaring high above the Mammoth Lakes, surrounded by gorgeous pine and fir forests, the stony bluff of Crystal Crag juts out from the Sierra Nevada range like a colossal granite fang. The east and north faces of Crystal Crag are all but inaccessible to any but the most experienced veteran climbers, but the South Ridge of the crag offers a quick yet challenging clean-lined class 3 variation that may be ascended all the way to the crag’s lofty summit.

The South Ridge may be accessed via a short uphill hike from Crystal Lake, then up a steep couloir on the crag’s west face to the apex of the ridge. From there climbers may clamber up to the pinnacle just beneath the ridge on its east side. Needless to say, the vistas from this summit are transcendent.

For novices who have done some rock climbing, this offers a wonderful introduction to the joys of the Sierra Nevada Range: a challenging but not backbreaking 1-day climb to some of the best scenery the area has to offer.