[Sadie's Driver]

After a couple of weeks of sensational color, today was a pretty ho-hum day Sadie and cousin Clover were looking for a little leg stretcher - and this was a good one. For those of us who usually head up the North Fork of the Teanaway to places like Bean, Navajo, Earl, Iron and Miller - the Middle Fork is a good alternative and a little closer. After you reach the Teanaway River Road, take the West Fork turn (about 7.5 miles) and then in less than a mile, turn on the Middle Fork road. The MF road is paved only for about 2.5 miles and just before the end of the pavement, we had to wait for a flock-crossing.

Flock of Wild Turkeys on Middle Fork Road

In another mile you reach a campground - lots of folks here this morning getting saddled up.

Campground popular with horseback riders

In a 1/2 mile from the campground you cross the MF of the Teanaway - Trail 1393 will be on your right, but follow the signs onto the West MF of the Teanaway (#113)

Crossing of the Middle Fork

Sign at turn from River Trail 1393

In another 1/2 mile you'll see the sign for Trail #1222 - to Yellow Hill

Marker on FS 113 designating trailhead for Yellow Hill

Trailhead for Yellow Hill #1222

In the Alpine Lake 100 Hikes (3rd Edition) they mention that the road continues for .8 miles after you turn off from FS 113 - they say that this road is a steep grade with no turn-around. Well, things must have changed since this edition was published. The berm closing the road is right at the parking area - which is too bad, because the road actually is in great shape and is far better than the wonderful little 4-wheeler "road" we went on with NB trying to find Van Epps Pass a few weeks ago!!! #1222 is a virtual highway by comparison! Surprised to see a truck parked at the trailhead - never did see the owner of the truck and they were gone by the time we got back to our car. We headed up the road until it reached the obvious trail that heads off to the right

Green ribbon trail marker on trail start off of road

You know you're on the right route, because you'll see a few trail markers nailed to some trees - they stop after about a mile.

Trail marker posted on a few trees but only up to about 3600'

The trail wastes no time gaining elevation - but you're back on the road before long. Continue up the road and stay with it to the end - you'll be tempted to take the steep path that goes up the hill - this is a motorized dirt-biker's trail - not worth the extra effort and the road coninutes only about another 1/2 mile

Dirt bike trail only - avoid going up this one

When you reach the end of the road you'll find some artifacts

Ancient artifacts found at end of road

Over the berm at the end of the road, you'll see the trail marker

Trail marker just over berm pointing to the one-track trail

From here, it's just a continuous slog up the hill to the first bump - you're not at Yellow Hill yet.

Low clouds look east from the first "bump" at 4200'

Continue on. This is not a particularly picturesque trail - it's steep, and then just when you get to about 4300' you lose about 200' (remember, you'll have that as an uphill on the way out!) before you start the steep climb up to Yellow Hill, there will be "Y" that you will come to - take the left branch - you will see the "temporary" trail marker.

fork in trail - go left

Trail sign at the fork in the trail

Finally, you reach the shoulder of Yellow Hill running along the east side - there's some color - fading huckleberries.

Looking up to summit of Yellow Hill from east side shoulder trail

Clover on Yellow Hill #1222 Trail with some color amongs the huckleberries

If you want to tag Yellow Hill (elevation 5527') don't do it from this shoulder - wait until you get around to the north end (and just before you drop down the trail heading towards Elbow) - it's an easy walk-up from the north side - not a lot to see today, but supposedly the views towards Rainier are pretty nifty.

Looking north into the Teanaways

Some clearing to the North

Here's a little factoid they don't tell you in the book - you have two downhills on this little adventure - one of 200' and one of 300' feet - remember, you have to gain and lose this twice - so add another 1000' to the overall elevation gain of 2800' identified in the book! The route from Yellow Hill to Elbow Peak includes the 300' descent along a saddle through some trees. At the point where you come out just above the last ridge to Elbow, you can look back and see Yellow Hill

Looking back on Yellow Hill

From here, you start across the ridge towards Elbow. Today it was cloudy and not particularly scenic on our way up. It doesn't look possible for dirt bikers to continue on from here - abut if you look carefully, there is a lower trail that hugs the west shoulder of the ridge about 75' below the hikers route. My advice, stay up on top of the ridge and follow it the 1/2 mile across to Elbow and don't take the motorbike route. Why lose more elevation? For the most part you are on top of the ridge - a couple of times you will be just a little left (west) of the ridge for safety - but it's not a dangerous crossing - could be nasty if it's wet and/or windy.

Trail on ridge to Elbow Peak

View of trail on the ridge

Once you reach the other side of this ridge the book talks about a grassy summit - that's a little generous! It's more like tufts of grass scattered among the dirt and rocks!

Trail on Elbow - not really a "grassy slope!"

We reached the top of Elbow (5675') - thought about going on to Jolly Mtn., but since the views were so crummy today (a Trail Pair kind of summit), we walked the ridge for about a 1/2 mile and turned around.

Sadie at the top of Elbow Peak look West across the rest of the Teanaways

Ridge looking south from Elbow Peak

Lake Cle Elum from Elbow Peak

Ridge trail - mostly rock

Rock formation along saddle between Elbow and Yellow

Tree stripped by some critter looking for good grubbin'

Another critter digging for goodies to eat

We didn't see a soul on this hike until we were heading back and were on Yellow Hill. The book says it's a popular dirtbike route and, sure enough, two bikes were motoring up the hill. A little interruption to an otherwise peaceful hike. They were headed toward Elbow and we were headed out. Another note, there's no water on this trail except for a small spring about 1/2 the way up to Yellow Hill

Only water source on this route - small spring with water running on the trail

so bring plenty of water. I wouldn't recommend doing this trip in the heat of the summer - I can see no reason why you would want to, unless you were doing a one way from here to the Salmon La Sac area. The views are probably great on a nice day - but this is probably a hike done in the spring - or perhaps as a snowshoe (if you can get access to the trailhead - unlikely in the winter you can go much farther than the MF crossing. The day wasn't a total loss. We finally did see a little color on the way out.

Limited color looking into the valley along Middle Fork of Teanaway

Color at the trailhead

Take your cross-trainer shoes so you can run down the trail because it's just steep enough and the loose dirt and rocks are just slippery enough when you're coming down that it's easier to run the trail then it is to walk it and to try to maintain balance! Even with poles. Stats: 10+ miles - almost 4000' total gain; very dry; a good work-out. Interesting note: when we were heading east towards the Teanaway (at about Easton) we passed a red SUV (Jeep?) with license plate "NWHiker"! - Then, just in front of him was a caravan of about 10 4x jeeps, the lead jeep had a decal: "Wandering Willis" (I think) and they all turned off at Roslyn/Salmon La Sac. Big doings today out that way. And, finally, on our way back out along the West Fork Road, we discovered the answer to one of life's little conundrums answered by this herd of steer:

The grass IS greener on the other side of the fence! Cows loose on West Teanaway.

Sadie is resting comfortably.

[Opus]

Too funny about the turkeys! I went up the North Fork Teanaway to Ingalls Lake today, and on the drive I had to wait out a turkey flock along the road somewhere by the Teanway Mercantile store. Looks like you guys got the nicer part of the Teanway weather. Up at Ingalls it was cold, grey, and very wet.

[Sadie's Driver]