Red Pine Fork + Pink Pine Ridge

Little Cottonwood Canyon’s Red Pine Fork is a prime destination for ski-touring. Depending on conditions and appetites, sheltered trees, mellow, wide-open slopes, or serious ski-mountaineering objectives can all be found here. The drainage features two lakes, the aptly named lower and upper Red Pine Lakes. The upper reaches of Red Pine Fork are flanked by White Baldy (11,321 feet) and No Name Baldy (10,897 feet, also known as Redbird Point).

To reach Red Pine Fork, start at the White Pine Trailhead by crossing the bridge over Little Cottonwood Creek and skinning up a gentle grade on an old mining road that leads west. On reaching an intersection at White Pine Fork creek (0.8 mile), veer right, cross the creek, and continue to follow the summer trail as it contours west into Red Pine. The route enters Lone Peak Wilderness as it passes around the ridge.

For a shorter tour, Pink Pine Ridge, which divides Red Pine and White Pine Forks, offers relatively safe northeast-facing runs that drop through trees and meadows back toward White Pine. Steeper, more dangerous lines facing northwest end up in Red Pine. Skin up the ridgeline (south) from the track that leads into Red Pine.

Continuing into Red Pine Fork, the route climbs through aspen glades, reaching Red Pine Creek at 9,000 feet. Longer tours into Maybird Gulch, Hogum Fork, and beyond start by crossing the footbridge here and heading west into Maybird. Taking a left, follow the creek to the south to reach the Red Pine Lakes and upper Red Pine Fork. This route passes below west-facing avalanche slopes, which may be avoided by staying in the trees to the west.

Reaching Red Pine Lake at 9,620 feet, you’ll encounter campsites at the north and south ends of the lake. Heading back from this point on the Lower Lake Shots offers moderate skiing on an open slope. Continue up and above the tree line to reach upper Red Pine Lake. From here, a ridge leads southwest to No Name Baldy or further to Pfeifferhorn.

To return, retrace your route, or exit Red Pine to the north via Display Ridge or Red Pine Chute. Both of these options involve steeper, more avalanche-prone terrain, and require carefully crossing Little Cottonwood Creek and bushwhacking up to reach the highway. Hitchhiking back to the White Pine Trailhead will cap off your adventure.