Skiing Left Fk Osinovka Canyon, Altay

According to the reports of the groups who visited the area, Left Fork Osinovka was supposed to be a major navigation and trailbreaking chore. The canyon was to be bypassed high on the slopes, through miles of dense taiga, deafall, and ravines. As it turned out, it was possible to ski the creekbed all the way through, with some steep-and-narrow sections of iffy sidestepping, but without even taking the skis off. You can spot Crosser entering the narrows in this shot from Day 6 of our March 1988 ski bacpack.