Summit elevation: 10,364 feet
Approach: 3 mi round-trip with 700 ft of climbing
Climb: 3 pitches of 5.7 difficulty
![Crystal Crag • Route Profile](https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8280/29665219312_ec4d26df1b_c.jpg)
Crystal Crag, North Arête
Crystal Crag • Pitches
Crystal Crag • Description
Crystal Crag is a granite rock tower in the Mammoth Lakes area with a white quartz band at its north summit. The north and east side present some challenging rock climbs, while the south and west side offer more mellow routes.
The approach starts at Lake George (9,200 ft) and leads on Mammoth Crest Trail and Crystal Lake Trail to Crystal Lake (9,700 ft). It then continues on to the base of the climb (9,900 ft).
The North Arête consists of three pitches, the crux being a chimney at the very beginning. The descent leads down the backside of the summit via the saddle between north and south summit.
Crystal Crag • Interactive Map
Crystal Crag • Pictures
![Crystal Crag](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij0adfsFg2V2-igtL91oTE9K9w5aLGYQ9uG5yH6Dl6zjfVV6gwbSNLAO7BuDycVubYrujdrFQ9UUZ8e3lqUtdl7nKkMZfiSuybqmBh-xCZZNSnK55hDDZIY6KMVL7stpTZKTrx6fl-3L9T/s800/crystal-crag-15.jpg)
Crystal Crag
![Crystal Crag • Approach](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj82-TyxKOjieMWks_uBav-f9QVkQqVU7nk8sYHX2q1Ry9V0gXIJv5DU49PoZs63FvKH0lCOLmL4IfGBfSJkiJpEOqgx4_NdZIc6mjdqfF07sCQa0NJEo-4yPljxJ3iC1MFLcp2olqRU9AR/s800/crystal-crag-01.jpg)
Approach
![Crystal Crag • North Arête Pitch 1](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbEhxRbWyfmA8E0HTBKUU5aRuWBK6ALc4q5xTfEgK9Z4dTsCF1UuptB35eP1MwNKXELbTsCnUXYmtGqhKZHv0N173jImERXC1gCC_n1-U1tI4OEyy5XMoYf7yprxlyd80YnQeQ6A-0cjZ/s800/crystal-crag-06.jpg)
North Arête Pitch 1
![Crystal Crag • North Arête Pitch 3](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCM_OXBpKSKRJHDsfi3froA1AAQuj_1xrX1em7moSBd6v9DJl9wZ_BYbJQY5hwfL_XLKguNxSZEOMlFhWgCej_xMOx2hCvburP8RfLkgRWjse6sDv7R_2BUYEGinPJKCtCSiq1do1x0RS/s800/crystal-crag-07.jpg)
North Arête Pitch 3
![Crystal Crag • View of Mammoth Lakes](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplOdeth6_KhiXPna6vyGP63W6SOENQakNAFLmlDCu-9LwoLRkDKPzHWMZW39hteWtpdQMSplCQ-UEcgz5gfpkec4Wj87gVR3NVCfenLBc-mr1bLFgg5fI5zsaHqVxetHlxnUjAe5SDtM2/s800/crystal-crag-09.jpg)
View of Mammoth Lakes
![Crystal Crag • View of Crystal Lake](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgL33beFyYNDOxwZNoH03OcRJyZi6VdDJS7H3eD4nRoPb6ybHhVptcrrkhPQ6V4Fmif5EZQy_JmDt8mdURR5CS3a5qMU6WnMZRTdqHn5XXSV8zCnQAfreXCvfcqy2b-F6-7Hb_29kg4yL/s800/crystal-crag-11.jpg)
View of Crystal Lake
![Crystal Crag • Afternoon Thunderstorm](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMDpIutELa2bBrkVvc5ErsZQ7atE3B5Q5JvyqZGiJUPdcpv6d7OatHCb88Oix9sAE5DbV_nMZ3gqlHJyoZH_xaW_gvnI6lmf0Qjo7k9yBr24o-6gQtqCczDu3y4jkSH6AkH9T7-2fXLum/s800-Ic42/crystal-crag-12.jpg)
Afternoon Thunderstorm
![Crystal Crag • Rappel](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_sG5zvLg1zflNBxGeRZ5O-yQOIaY9awrVf-q4ySLXt2TuDjv25Z0KW_cDPDb_CdOwzRGRP81BYIagOY5ZzLIhKElM_Ob3QS_hCwHTAL891RQfXpRdp9s61Szx9BRcBtfR6oNXu5ig5yPn/s800/crystal-crag-13.jpg)
Rappel
By: Bernd Straehle
See Also: Climbing & Mountaineering