[Sadie's Driver]

The story according to Gus - OK, so on Saturday, I get to go for a run through Ravenna Park - some ball throwing and then the Driver takes off for a 65 mile bike ride and promises it's MY turn on Sunday! (Editor note: We won't talk about the counter surfing he did while the driver was away - but sugar all over the floor of the kitchen was a dead give-away! ) Well, one backpack was out with all of the necessary equipment - snowshoes, ice ax, poles - and the best part, lunch! But where was the OTHER backpack - there are usually two backpacks by the door - I'm having my doubts. We set off at the usual time - about 6:45 a.m. - but it's only the driver and me. The roof carrier is on top - and we head to the Starbucks for the usual "fix" - but it's STILL just me and the Driver. No stop at the 65th Park and Ride - so the other guy who always has treats for me isn't with us either. What's going on? We head out I-90 without ANY passengers! Then, there's a stop - something about Preston Park and Ride - and all of a sudden, Happy Marmot (Kelly), GeoTom, Dani and - well, Jasper pile in! Jasper and I co-exist in the back - the "big people" relax in the comfort of the seats up front. Off we head to the Teanaways. I was just there last week - good trip (except for the tick that decided to attach to my neck). Traffic wasn't bad - the road was clear all the way to the trailhead - maybe 6 cars there - no snow on the road today - it's all gone now, but the ditches in the road are still there and can be jaw-jarring, if you hit them too fast! It seems like it's taking this human group forever to get going!

Gearing up . . .

Let's get going - Gus singing to us

But, finally we are on our way about 9:45 a.m. - the decision was to head to Earl Peak with the hopes of a decent glissade (seems Jasper and his folks got a pretty good glissade on Mt. Ellinor yesterday - better than our experience about a month ago! ) Dani and Tom didn't bring snowshoes - thinking they wouldn't be needed, but that would prove to be a little wrong! Snow started soon after the trail split at the Bean Creek crossing - we headed along the south side of the creek towards Earl. We decided against Mary and Judy this day - thinking that the views would be better on Earl - it was a glorious (and 10 degrees warmer than last Sunday) day. Soon, we reached the first Bean Creek crossing - not too bad at this fairly early hour.

What's taking you so long, dad??

Our first crossing

Kelly making it across Bean Creek

This log would be submerged on our way back

Barefoot boy . . .

Dani making it across

We continued along the summer trail - losing it here and there under snow - but the snow wasn't too soft yet. There would be another minimal creek crossing - and the snow was starting to soften beyond this point - so the Driver and Kelly decided to put on the ol' snowshoes - which was a good idea. Next was a another crossing of Bean Creek to head up the NW flank of Earl. The Driver and Kelly kept their 'shoes on - while Jasper and I and Dani and Geo decide to just hoof it across the creek. Once across, the travel got a little more "serious." Read: deep, soft, sno-cone slushy snow! We all decided to let the driver just go on ahead and break trail. Her language was a bit "salty." Something like #&"$^%&*@)($ - saying that it was bad enough doing 65 miles yesterday - this was worse than the steepest hill she had to climb yesterday! I don't know what she was complaining about - I was trying to swim up that darned hill in what felt like wet cement!!! But, set steps she did - reminiscing about Welcome Pass, or something like that! But it was a straight up slog to head to the northwest ridge to head to the summit.

Halo

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll get up this freakin' slope!

Teanaways are officially open!

Is this Pilchuck or Thunder? Hmmm?

Finally, about 2/3's of the way up, we angled over towards some rocks to reach the ridge.

Kelly and Tom hitting pay dirt!

Dani coming up the steep, steep slope

We even saw a gorgeous hawk circling us - good thing Luis was safely tucked away amusing Lupita somewhere in Kirkland! Once on the dirt, Tom took the lead towards the summit.

Tom, Jasper, Gus, summit and blue sky!

Bean Peak

As we approached the summit, there were these busy little bugs that seemed to fascinate everyone.

Busy lady bugs

The driver mentioned that she had run the ridge from Navajo Peak, Navajo Pass to Earl and then back down Stand-Up creek once with Sadie in early October several years ago - but it looked a lot different today with snow.

Ridge

The views weren't so bad and probably worth the work. I was more interested in the best part of the trip - - -lunch!

Ohh!

Ahhh!

We got the obligatory summit shot (didn't find the register to leave our mark) - but it wasn't a bad group pic.

Kelly, Dani, Tom, Gus and Jasper on the summit of Earl 05-17-09

Jasper was done with pics - where's lunch?

Driver, Dani, Tom and the 4-paw crew

Some nice views of my Gus-butt and Jasper begging for lunch from Dani, with Rainier as a back drop!

Jasper and Gus circling Dani for a hand-out

We made the summit in about 3 1/2 hours - spent about 1/2 hour - 45 minutes on the summit (a bit windy) before starting back down.

Heading down - white side

Heading down off of the summit - brown side

We were heading back to our route up when we saw some two-legged guy with a cool looking 4-legged friend - they were coming up from an overnight along the Stand-Up Creek side.

Hiker coming up from the Stand-Up Creek route

He didn't have snowshoes and wished he did, because the post-holing was a pain. We headed on down towards our route up, but decided to do a glissade down this wonderful, long chute that had been hiker's right on our way up - and it would prove to be a wonderful route back. The two-legged types would be butt down, but Jasper and I would head full-speed down the slope after them - what had taken us about 1 1/2 hours to get up, took us about 10 minutes to get down! What the Driver and I had missed on Ellinor about a month ago, would be redeemed today! What a blast!!!! Nice and long!

Finally, a glissade worth the effort!

We had seen some skiers getting ready to head up somewhere when we left the car early this morning - and, there they were across the first creek crossing heading back - I had to bark at them, until I saw they were eating some lunch. They were now my new friends! They had decided to only go half-way up Earl's slope, for fear of setting off a slide - but the slope was in pretty good condition. Doubt that the chute we went down will be so nice next week if the warm weather continues - rocks will begin poking through! We noticed that the creeks were flowing a lot faster and fuller on our way back. In fact, my buddies Dani and Geo had to help me across the last Bean crossing - it was treacherous!

Gus' friends assist him across the rapidly flowing creek

The flowers were kinda' cool - the usual Glacier Lilies, Spring Beauty - and some Jasper-stout flowers.

Jasrillium - that is, stout little flowers!

When we got back to the cars (took us 1 1/2 hours back to the car) we got the good news . . . . The Teanaways are OFFICIALLY OPEN NOW! There on the Driver's car was Jim K's card - Mr. Teanaway himself! He and his buddy Gary must have overnighted at Iron Peak last night! Thank goodness, we can now talk about hiking in the Teanaways! I guess it wasn't so bad having Jasper in the car with me afterall - he didn't growl at me on the way back to the Park & Ride.

Buddies - oh yeah!

(P.S. nasty traffic around Cle Elum, but it finally loosened up by Easton and we were back at the P&R by 5:00 p.m) What a fun day and fun friends. Thanks, Jasper for not rolling in any crap. Your friend, Gus.

[Jasper]

Nice write-up Gus. The back of your mom's car is pretty comfy too. Dad will post some of his photos a little later. He's too busy 'Facebooking' right now.

[the Zachster]

Way to go, Gusto! Nice report!

[Type E]

Glad you had better weather than I did on Tuesday. That chute was a fun glissade!

[Yet]

Gus, you have some nice friends there. I enjoyed your TR! Write more.

[GeoTom]

Someone forgot to bring the snowshoes today. I would try and blame Dani, but too many of you know us well enough to realize it was all my fault. They weren't needed for the first couple miles, or the last half mile. In between they would have been useful. It was still a very enjoyable day with good company, one good dog and one questionable dog and good views of the Stuart Range and other Teanaway area peaks. Here are a few* photos from the day (full flickr set):

Babes and dogs at the trailhead

Dogs and snow

Morning creek crossing

Hikers

Snowshoe creek crossing

Tahoma

Heading up

Out of the trees

Gus chillin' while Kelly and Suzanne ascend

Jasper wonders why his dad is slow

Snag and Tahoma

Dani ascends

Excited Jasper

Stuart and Sherpa behind Bean

Upper Bean Creek Basin

Snags

The summit

Almost there!

Gusto and Jasper at the summit of Earl

Stuart and friends

Stuart and Sherpa

Group shot with Jasper's butt

Good group shot

Snag and summit

Glissading

Jasper waits

1 label

Ready to pounce

Flanking

Kelly glissading, Jasper stalking

Another game of glissade chicken

Jasper and Gusto provide moral support

*Few means between 4 and 100.

[Sadie's Driver]

[Go Jo]

[Dani]

It was a great day! Thanks to Suzanne for driving and for the yummy treats on the way home!