Wed Jan 07, 2009 1:58 am Redtop Lookout via Medicine Creek, 1/3/09
Date: 1/3/09
Trip: Redtop Mtn via Medicine Creek
Party: Matt, mtnmike, Suzanne R, Richard, B, Lynn G, loper, Bill B, cartman
Preface
Sometimes things just keep improving.
Low expectations (email Friday 2:37am): "I still want to get out on Saturday, even though the conditions are suboptimal. I’d like to at least hike in the woods and get some exercise, since views are unlikely."
Better forecast (phone calls Friday 4:00pm): Weather forecast has only 1-2 inches of new snow tomorrow. Passes have re-opened. Avalanche forecast improved to “moderate below 6000 feet” for east cascades.
A conservative plan (email Friday 6:18pm): "The trip will be to Teanaway Ridge, starting at its southern end and running up the ridge as far as we get.”
A more ambitious plan (email Friday 9:06pm): “Another option in the same area, start from Mineral Springs and go west to Red Top.”
Route
Our route started from the Mineral Springs resort on Highway 97. We hiked through the campground, followed a road west along Medicine Creek for about 1.5 miles, followed the ridge crest further west to Teanaway Ridge for about 2 miles, then turned north 1.5 miles to Redtop Lookout.
Report
When we parked at Mineral Springs resort, the Subaru's thermometers read 4 degrees, so we got moving quickly. Started at 9:10am, we crossed the highway to the campground, walked counterclockwise to the far side of the campground loop, and then cut straight west till we found the road up Medicine Creek.
Snowshoes sank a foot or more into the loose powdery snow, which made for tiring trailbreaking, but we had plenty of people to take turns in front. The road was untracked, but its flat surface provided steady progress.
At the end of the road, we got on the ridge on our right, and followed the crest westward up and down a few intermediate high points. Trailbreaking was okay under trees on the crest, but arduous when we sidehilled around some higher bumps. At the end, we struggled up steeper softer snow and thicker trees to climb up onto the side of Teanaway Ridge.
The snow-covered pine trees made new patterns I hadn’t seen before. Frost weighted the long needles so that they hung straight down, while piles of snow stacked on top of the branches. Lower on the big trees, the curvy branches supported swooping little ridges of snow, piled surprisingly high on the narrow branches.
On Teanaway Ridge, we found the pathway of winter heaven. Along this higher ridge crest, the trees grew tall, the spaces between made wide lanes, and the snow coated everything in white. We strolled along untracked glades amid gilded giants. I love big snowy trees.
After a quarter mile or so, we found the main road, with a few snowmobiles passing by. For once I was happy to see the machines, because it was getting late in the day, and their packed track let us pick up our pace. We stopped a few times to ponder our maps, as it turned out that we had hit the ridge further south (and further from the lookout) than we had expected. This meant we'd be returning after dark, but we all agreed it was worthwhile.
The snowy trees continued to delight (and delay) me.
A road sign reassured us that we were on the right road and not too far to make it today.
The trees became even taller and snowier.
There were signs that the end was near.
When we reached the final open ridge to the lookout, both the trees and the building were coated with rime.
We arrived at 3pm and took a short 20-minute break for food and photos. Winds were unusually mild for this location, but the temperature was starting to drop.
With skies already becoming more gray, we headed down off the summit.
Snowflakes drifted down lightly from the sky. Nothing heavy, just enough to add a sweet sparkle to our exit hike. It just felt nice to have the bright snowflakes floating around us as the day dimmed. (I tried to photograph them, but they came out looking more like blotches on photos.)
As we dropped off Teanaway Ridge, a narrow orange band colored the western horizon. Later, a half moon shone hazily through the clouds. Even in the gathering dusk, our snowshoe trench was easy to follow. About ¾ of the way down the Medicine Creek ridge, we had to put on headlamps. We reached the cars about 6:40pm.
Appendix 1: Winter Routes to Redtop
There are at least three winter routes to Redtop.
Starting from Hwy 97 at Mineral Springs via the Blue Creek Road. Richard reports taking the road to about 3600 feet, then following a ridge up to the north side of the summit. This is probably the simplest approach, since the road is packed down by snowmobiles, but least desirable for the same reason.
Starting from Teanaway River Road at Indian Creek, via Middle Creek. We did this route in 2006 (see link below for trip report & map). It has the advantage of being all cross-country, but is longer and has more ups and downs. Brief very steep section through cliffs on north side of lookout. 13 miles round trip, 2900 net gain, 4200 cumulative gain.
Starting from Hwy 97 at Mineral Springs via Medicine Creek. Today’s trip. An even mix of road and ridgetop travel. 11 miles round trip, 2700 net gain, 3300 cumulative gain.
Appendix 2: Winter Lookout Hikes That Would Have Been Much Shorter in Summer
This trip continues my annual tradition of snowshoeing all day to reach a lookout peak that I could have driven miles closer to in summer. All but one trip has included Richard & Lynn; many also included mtnmike or Suzanne R.
Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 1992 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA
Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:24 am
Love the snow-draped trees!
I'm bummed that we ended up missing out on this trip in favor of a closer one that wouldn't take all day...I've been wanting to do Red Top in the winter for the past few years now. Still plenty of winter left though.
Beautiful pix... and those are some seriously rimed trees and lookout! Nice write-up and thanks for all the various route info.
wamtngal, Redtop has also been on my list since this time last season. Maybe I can join you and Todd and make it happen this year? And I'm bummed I had to say no to 2 trips on Saturday and stay in to prepare for company coming! Sunday was nice, but not with the blue skies and rime of Matt's pix...
-------------- "The earth laughs in flowers."
Joyce Gehner
I had slated Red Mt. Lookout for last Monday but was worried about the extreme avalanche conditions. I was more worried about being stuck on the East side of the pass. I think it is funny how so many of us think alike when planning trips. I can remember numerous times I had planned on doing some obscure peak only to read a report prior to heading out.
Fri Jan 09, 2009 5:13 pm Re: Redtop Lookout via Medicine Creek, 1/3/09
Matt wrote:
Sometimes things just keep improving.
Sometimes things keep getting better.
Understatements of the week
Great report, though, as usual: would you hazard a guess as to the avy potential of this route under current conditions? Not too high, as far as I can see, but you have a better eye.
The route would be good in moderate to considerable avalanche conditions. The earlier part is surrounded by forest with no open slopes above. Once you leave the road by Medicine Creek, you can stay on ridgetops. We briefly crossed a few small open clearcuts, but we could have avoided them by staying higher and being right on the ridge crest.
-------------- "Matt, you are truly full of it. But you take great --- pics, in spite of that." Scrooge
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