A pulp in accordance with a particular embodiment includes crosslinked cellulose fibers. The pulp can have high brightness, reactivity, and intrinsic viscosity. The pulp, therefore, can be well suited for use as a precursor in the production of low-color, high-viscosity cellulose derivatives. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment of the present technology includes forming a pulp from a cellulosic feedstock, bleaching the pulp, crosslinking cellulose fibers within the pulp while the pulp has a high consistency, and drying the pulp. The bleaching process can reduce a lignin content of the pulp to less than or equal to 0.09% by oven-dried weight of the crosslinked cellulose fibers. Crosslinking the cellulose fibers can include exposing the cellulose fibers to a glycidyl ether crosslinker having two or more glycidyl groups and a molecular weight per epoxide within a range from 140 to 175.