Summary 
| Difficulty | 3 Intermediate |
| Length | 1.1 miles one-way |
| Starting Elevation |
6400 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change |
+150, -350 one-way |
| Navigation | Map (a compass is useful if your sense of direction is poor) |
| Time | Short |
| Season | Mid-December through early April |
| Snowmobiles Use | Not permitted [Please report illegal use of snowmobiles in this area.] |
| USGS Topo | 7.5' series, Lassen Peak |
| Start | Highway 89, 1.0 mile north of the McGowan Road Trailhead, 3.0 miles north of the junction of Highways 36 and 89, and 2.5 miles south of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. There is room to park on the east side of the highway. Additional parking space is located on the east side of the highway and 0.1 mile north. The tour begins on the west side of the highway. |
| End | McGowan Road Trailhead on Highway 89, 2.0 miles north of the junction of Highways 36 and 89, and 3.5 miles south of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. There is a turnout, parking space and the trailhead on the west side of the highway. |
Description
You are probably wondering why put out the effort for a car shuttle in order to ski only one mile? Some people will choose this tour because this very pleasant ski through the woods requires lots of skating turns to negotiate the trees, and because it is all downhill except for the first 0.1 mile. But there is much more.
The tour can be extended to 3.2 miles by combining it with the Christie Hill Road tour and to 5.9 miles by combining it with the McGowan Road tour and the Nanny Creek Road tour. These longer tours are well worth the effort required to do the car shuttle.
The Eighty-Nine Run tour begins with a short but steep climb to a flat area. From here a broad ridge, described in the South Approach to Brokeoff Mountain tour, continues to the northwest and offers excellent touring. Explore the area and practice your downhill techniques on the mild slopes.
Even though this tour is only a mile long and parallels the highway, the dense woods can make navigation difficult. People with a good sense of direction will be able to negotiate it without the aid of a compass. If you lack that sense, if the visibility is poor, or if you prefer the extra safety, you should definitely use a compass. All you need to do is ski south – there are no tricky turns.
Mileage Log
Numbers in parentheses
correspond to mileage points on map
Waypoint 1 to 2
Miles: 0.0 - 0.1
Elevation change: +150
From the trailhead (1), climb west up a steep slope for 0.1 mile to a level area (2). Sometimes the snowbank along the road is high and you will need to look for a good spot to get over it.
Waypoint 2 to 3
Miles: 0.1 - 1.0
Elevation change: -350
Ski southeast and then south through the trees and parallel to the highway for 0.9 mile until you reach McGowan Road (3). Do not go charging into the trees; ski slowly, look ahead, and search for the path of least resistance. There is a route which avoids all thickets!
Waypoint 3 to 4
Miles: 1.0 - 1.1
Elevation change: +0
Turn east (left) onto McGowan Road and ski 0.1 mile until you reach the McGowan Road Trailhead (4). You will need to turn west (right) onto McGowan Road if you are combining this tour with the Christie Hill Road tour or the Nanny Creek Road tour.
