The best part about tamarack is the fact that there used to be a lift to a different side of the mountain and now it's gone, but that entire side still has all the old runs cut out. This map highlights mostly that area of the mountain because it's where you should spend most of your time.
When you finish the super long traverse looker's right (skier's left) to the backcountry gate you'll pass a big-ass cornice. It's the first run i've marked, in black. you can take it a few different ways after the cornice but I recommend heading slightly right, into the big patch of trees. Look around until you find the way to the old lift line (la bamba).
From the backcountry gate again, pass the big-ass cornice and head towards the big rock outcropping you'll see straight ahead and to the left. Traverse around and ski down to the lone pine tree near the base of the outcrop, and from there hike directly upwards until you find a good spot to enter the outcrop. You can choose to drop straight down from here (the first two vertical red lines i've marked, in wildwood bowl), or continue skier's left around the bowl and drop from there (the third vertical red line). Make sure you don't drop into the opposite side (Half-moon bowl) unless you have skins or don't mind bootpacking out for about an hour. Once you've come to the flatter part at the bottom it will become a tight gully- stay on the right side of the gully to make sure you find the path out. By this point there should be some kind of track already made that will guide you out. If not, head right as much as possible. You should be able to go slightly downhill the whole way to the exit. It will spit you out right above Waltz, the green circle.
If you decide to go looker's left from the top, just head to the backcountry gate and drop wherever looks good to you. This area can be really awesome because it has some great steep, open fields. But it gets sun-fucked and wind-fucked pretty hard. Test your boundaries however much you want but know that at some point you NEED to head back left. Expect some shitty times getting out if you stray too far down or right. One good thing though- as long as you head down and left you will eventually make it back to the village. I've spent nearly a half hour on a snowmobile trail here, only to spot a house through the trees and used that to find my way back. It sucked, but nice that you can't really get lost.
ok umm...that got way longer than I intended. Main takeaway here should be to do the long traverse to the hike skier's left. My friends and I have consistently been the only tracks through these top bowls for the last 2 years
