Summary 
| Difficulty | 4 Intermediate-advanced |
| Length | 3.0 miles round trip |
| Starting Elevation |
6750 feet |
| Cumulative Elevation Change |
+700, -700 round trip |
| Navigation | Road, map and compass |
| Time | Half day |
| Season | December through April |
| Snowmobiles Use | Not permitted [Please report illegal use of snowmobiles in this area.] |
| USGS Topo | 7.5' series, Lassen Peak |
| Start | Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center located one mile past the Southwest Entrance Station. |
Description
This loop presents another opportunity to get off Lassen Park Road and feel the joy of relying on your own backwoods skills. The relatively short descent from the road to the lowest point of the tour offers interesting terrain for the advanced intermediate skier.
This tour can be combined with a longer tour on Lassen Park Road. A very interesting tour would combine the Sulphur Works Cutoff Loop tour with a return to the trailhead from Brokeoff Mountain Viewpoint to the trailhead via the tour described here.
Be aware that the foot bridge used to cross the West Sulphur Creek on your return is narrow and walking across it may be tricky when it is covered with snow.
Mileage Log
Numbers in parentheses
correspond to mileage points on map
Waypoint 1 to 2
Miles: 0.0 - 0.7
Elevation change: +200
From the trailhead (1) ski north on Lassen Park Road for 0.7 mile until you reach the bridge (2) across West Sulphur Creek. The bridge is the turnoff point for Ridge Lakes tour.
Waypoint 2 to 3
Miles: 0.7 - 0.8
Elevation change: +50
Ski northeast on Lassen Park Road for 0.1 mile until you reach the Sulphur Works (3). At the Sulphur Works, an active hydrothermal area, you can hike the short nature trail (boardwalks) located on the north (left) side of the road. The Sulphur Works Cutoff tour also begins here. The cutoff shortens the tour to Emerald Lake and Lake Helen by 2.1 miles and bypasses the portion of Lassen Park Road east of Diamond Peak that is prone to avalanche.
Waypoint 3 to 4
Miles: 0.8 - 1.5
Elevation change: +100
Ski southeast on Lassen Park Road for 0.7 mile until you reach Brokeoff Mountain Viewpoint (4). The viewpoint, also called Windy Point, offers an excellent view to the west of Brokeoff Mountain, the largest remaining part of Mt. Tehama, an 11,000-foot volcano.
Waypoint 4 to 5
Miles: 1.5-1.6
Elevation change: +0
Ski north on Lassen Park Road for 0.1 mile until you reach the clearing (5) that descends south (right) from the road.
Waypoint 5 to 6
Miles: 1.6 - 2.4
Elevation change: -700
Leave the road and descend south for 0.8 mile until you reach the south end of a steep ridge (7). Most of this descent is through open terrain.
Waypoint 6 to 7
Miles: 2.4 - 2.8
Elevation change: +150
Ski northwest parallel to West Sulphur Creek for 0.4 mile until you reach the foot bridge (7) across the creek.
Waypoint 7 to 1
Miles: 2.8 - 3.0
Elevation change: +100
Climb west for 0.2 mile to the visitor center (1).
