| Difficulty: | Intermediate two-day round trip or advanced intermediate for one-day round trip |
| Length: | 5.3 miles one-way |
| Starting Elevation: | 6500 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change: | +650, -650 feet one-way |
| Navigation: | Road, marked trail, map and compass |
| Time: | Most of a day each way |
| Season: | Late December through early April |
| Snowmobiles: | Not permitted |
| USGS Topo: | 7.5' series, Loon Lake |
| Start: | Junction Ice House Road and snow-covered road to campground at Loon Lake. From Highway 50 turn north onto Ice House Road. Drive 24 miles to the intersection where you must turn right to stay on Ice House Road. Turn right and continue for 4.5 miles until you reach the snow-covered road to the campground at Loon Lake. This location is 0.9 mile before Loon Lake Chalet. |
The tour to the Van Vleck Bunkhouse is a very pleasant one for intermediate skiers. The terrain is varied with idyllic sections along a tree-lined road, wide-open areas, vistas of the Crystal Range, and navigational challenges if the visibility is poor.
Except for a short distance at the very beginning, the first 2.2 miles is cross-country and the remaining 3.1 miles are on snow-covered Forest Service roads. The route is marked with blue diamonds the whole way. However, don’t let this lull you into a sense of ease! The route is long and requires stamina and speed to complete in a single day.
But most skiers venturing to the Bunkhouse will want to spend at least one night there. Two nights will give you an opportunity to explore the area at your leisure. Regardless of the number of days you take, under poor weather conditions the open area near the landing strip is difficult to navigate, sending more than one experienced skier off in the wrong direction for an unexpected overnight bivouac.
The Van Vleck Bunkhouse, a facility operated by the Forest Service, can be reserved for winter overnight use beginning in mid-January 2003. The bunkhouse is small, sleeping only six, so don’t think that there will be room for you to crash without reservations. Also, the bunkhouse is kept locked when not in use. For reservations contact “Reserve USA” at 877-444-6777 or http://www.reserveusa.com/.
The Van Vleck Emergency Shelter is located along the same route at the 2.2-mile point. The emergency shelter is essentially that – a place to spend the night in an emergency or get indoors in bad weather. It’s not meant to provide overnight accommodations. However, the emergency shelter does make a pleasant destination in itself.
(Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on map)
Miles 0.0 – 0.4
Elevation change -100 feet
Ski northeast on the snow-covered campground road for 0.4 mile until you reach the first trail sign (2) for ski trails in the area. This tour follows the trail to the Van Vleck Bunkhouse that heads east from the sign. The trail to the bunkhouse is marked with blue diamonds from this point forward.
Miles 0.4 – 1.4
Elevation change +150, -50 feet
Ski east for a total of 1.0 mile, first toward a small ridge (it looks like a knob from the direction you are approaching), then contour along the south side of the ridge, and finally before reaching the end of the ridge descend to a bridge (3) across the Rubicon River.
Miles 1.4 – 2.2
Elevation change +450 feet
Ascend the slope to the south for 0.8 mile until you reach an obvious snow-covered road running perpendicular to the direction you have been traveling and the Van Vleck Emergency Shelter (4).
Miles 2.2 – 3.0
Elevation change +50, -50 feet
Turn southwest (right) onto the road and follow it to the south for 0.8 mile until you reach a road junction (5) at the north end of a former landing strip. This section contours through corridors of trees and through flat, open areas. It is in the open areas that following the road and trail can be difficult. Eventually, after the last wide, open area, you enter a tree-lined corridor again.
Miles 3.0 – 3.6
Elevation change -150 feet
Descend gently along the road and through a corridor of trees for 0.6 mile until you reach the northeast edge of a short ridge (6). The trail ahead will continue on the road to the south, not the road to the west.
Miles 3.6 – 4.3
Elevation change -150 feet
Ski south along the base and east side of the ridge, and then drop down a gully for a total of 0.7 mile until you reach the north end of a meadow (7).
Miles 4.3 – 4.6
Elevation change -100 feet
Ski west on the road and along the meadow’s northern edge, skirting the southern slope of the ridge, for 0.3 mile until you reach the next meadow (8).
Miles 4.6 – 5.3
Elevation change -50 feet
Ski west along the edge of the meadow, cross the northern arm of the meadow, and then southwest along the meadow for a total of 0.9 mile until you reach the Van Vleck Bunkhouse (9). There is no need to follow the road as it loops north and then south. As you ski, across the meadow look for a very large blue diamond on the other side; the bunkhouse is located just past this diamond at the base of a ridge covered with dense trees. You can ski directly toward the diamond once you see it.