BETA PHOTO: Taken March 2005 from Notchtop Couloir.
Description
In a fine little drainage between Notchtop and Flattop mountains, you will find a multitude of rock and snow/ice routes. There are many possible routes up and down Flattop (due south), Notchtop (due north), and the terminus of the drainage, Ptarmigan Cirque (due west).
For the purposes of organization, we'll limit this subarea to those mixed/ice routes on the northern aspect of the mountain which are approached from the Emerald Lake area.
There are at least 4 distinct routes and 2 variations here including:
Park at the Bear Lake Parking lot (newly renovated) at the end of Bear Lake Road. Hike north of Bear Lake on the Flattop Mountain Trail. Follow signs to Odessa Lake, forking off of the Flattop Mountain trail. Break off trail and continue southwest past Lake Helene and up the obvious drainage.