[Sadie's Driver]

Well, at least one of the members of our crew got the memo . . .  RED TOP!  Not mentioning any names, but it begins and ends with "driver!"  Just sayin' . . . .

A red top on the way to Red Top!

Stats:
Destination:  Sunshine aka the Teanaway - Red Top Lookout
Distance: 10.9 miles (according to R3H)
Elevation:  3400' gain (approx)
Gear:     Snowshoes - probably didn't need them (see below); sunglasses    (YES!)
Crew:  Jim K; Opus; Dicey; Middle E; Snow Dog; Raising 3 Hikers; Barb E; Driver; Gus and Izzy . . .  and a cameo appearance by: Ragman and Denali Girl

After much hand-wringing and debate about a suitable destination (read: avalanche safe AND with sunshine), several of us settled upon Red Top from the Blewett Pass (Mineral Springs CG) side.  This would be a return engagement of sorts for some 
Red Top March 2008
But, for that trip, we came in via the Teanaway side/29 Pines area.  And, boy, were the snow conditions different for the two trips!  But I digress.  We started our little adventure with a meet-up at the 65th Park & Ride at the respectable hour of 7:00 a.m.  Who should we run into?  Iron, B00, Hot Pantz and another member, who were off to do (what they hoped would be) an avalanche-safe trip to Mt. Catherine.  Iron (Mike) had expressed concern about avalanche danger - and with good reason for the west side of the hills.  However, David (Opus) was able to capture our fleeting experience with an avalanche on today's journey (to follow, with David's post).  So, our two parties departed the P&R to meet up with the rest of our group at the S.E. 8th P&R and then on to Blewett. 

It's amazing the difference in snow conditions in just one week.  Last Friday (04/08) on Yellow Hill/Elbow, we experienced snow from the time we stepped out of the car, with just a few dirt patches here and there.  Not so today!    We experienced dirt!

Gate is still closed at Swauk Creek

Organizing

The first two miles pretty much looked like this!

Carla had thought she was going to be skiing this trip, well, guess what?  

Carla, why aren't you WEARING those skis?

Those skis would stay on her back for a good part of the climb up.  David had to think about that . . .

David deep in concentration

This is what a lot of the trip looked like until well above 4100'!

Umm . . . where's the snow?

When we finally broke out onto one of the many roads that criss cross this route, we could get some views of our destination.

Red Top the bump on the right

Zoom of Red Top from afar

and then across Hwy 97 looking east.

Looking across at Table Mountain? Diamond Head? Thunder Mountain? You pick . . .

This began one of my "favorite" parts of the journey, the every-popular "road walk!"  No trip is complete without!   

Roadwalk

More roadwalk

It was at this point that we put our snowshoes on, but they really weren't necessary.  And, at least Carla could put her skis on! 
Finally, we arrived upon a very detailed sign with lots of helpful information   

Think it's time for new sign

Now that everything was perfectly clear, we moved in the direction of the summer parking lot for Red Top Lookout.

Gus looking for the biffy . . .

Trailhead - Carla finally on skis!

The summer trailhead

Gus providing direction

The sun was making occasional appearances, but it was by no means warm and balmy.  The sign says it's about a 1/2 mile from the trailhead to the summit - but in the snow it's probably shorter.  We could see the lookout ahead of us.

From the summer parking lot

Our destination

As we climbed the last ridge to the summit, the wind really picked up, and there was a dark ol' gray cloud above us - and it actually was lightly snowing!     So we didn't linger on top, choosing to head back off the summit to a little farther down the ridge to get our lunch.  David has a group photo on the summit.  It was about here that I got the last photos out of my camera before the battery died.

Looking North/northwest (the ridge we came up In March of 2008

Summit shot on Red Top

I borrowed Jim K's camera to get some lunch photos, as well as using my cell phone:

A familiar sight when we have a lunch stop! Red Top Lookout 04-17-11

Droid version:

Lunch break

Nanook having a spot of lunch

We packed up and started to head out, when . . . 

What to our wondering eyes should appear, but a jolly ol' elf without his reindeer!  He was nimble and quick . . . so we knew in a moment it must be St. Ragman (ok, ok, it doesn't rhyme - close enough!)  Ragman and Denali Girl had started a little further up the road beyond Mineral Springs (where they could actually drive up the Red Top road about a mile) and were on cross-country skis.  DG (Gail) decided she had had enough fun on skis and opted to boot it a-ways while RM (Roger) continued on his skis until he ran into us.  Not feeling like he wanted to battle the rock hard/icy snow up to the summit, he opted to turn around here and high-tail it back down the road with Carla.  Off they took and the rest of us hoofed it down the way we came up. 

The snow - what there was of it - had softened a bit, so we kept our snowshoes on for a while - until we hit dirt again.  Not much more to tell - I'll let others chime in and add their own photos.  Of course, the water dog had to find somewhere to get wet . . .

The dork dog waiting for someone to throw him a stick

Back to the car, where DG, RM, and D were waiting for us.   We agreed to stop in North Bend for refreshments and were a bit surprised to find some blue sky at the Pass.  A good day, even if we didn't get the sun intensity we had hoped for.  Fun group.  Won't be long before more of the Teanway opens up!   

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Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!

[DIYSteve]

Fun TR Carla, did you get any turns in?

Looking across at Table Mountain? Diamond Head? Thunder Mountain? You pick . . .

  That looks just like Diamond Head 

[Sadie's Driver]

[woutervw]

Nice outing!

Wish I could have done something instead of changing bathroom fans.

That is food. I know it's food. I have a nose. Nose tells me it's food. Can I have food? I like food. Will you drop food? I'll eat it of the snow. Food. Move closer and I'll lick it. It's food. I'll eat the package too. I'm cute, give me food.

[Middle E]

Red Top in 2008 was my first Teanaway Pk.  Three years later, I have only 3 of the Teanaway 20 left (...although the rationale for this list seems a little mysterious).   It was very surprising to see how different the snow conditions were compared to Yellow/Elbow last week -- what a treat to walk on top of the snow, not to mention bare ground. I hope this is a harbinger of spring!

Bare ridge

Almost there

Climbing to the lookout

Eric on the summit

Cornices

Teanaway peaks from Red Top

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pithy yet insightful signature

[Randy]

Looks I might need to start skiing the Teanaway sooner than I thought.

[dicey]

[Opus]

This is a pretty nice route.  Certainly easier than the approach from the Teanaway side!  Great trip.

It's closed?

Share

@%$!*

Tiny distant lookout

Sweet turns

Finally on snow

Walk this way

Gusto can read!

Excuse me for a second...

Tower

Group photo

Clouds

Carla finally gets to use her skis

Roger

EXTREME AVALANCHE DANGER!!!

A typical Gusto situation

[BarbE]

Not exactly the conditions we had expected.
No deep soft snow, avalanche danger or arduous trail breaking.
Fun company made up for the lack of good snowshoeing or skiing.

Miss "Red Top"

everybody take a picture

reaching the lookout

Red Top Lookout

Carla getting ready for epic turns

let's go where there's sun

somebody decides it's time for shorts

[raising3hikers]

Another fun trip, good to see the snow melting on the eastside of the cascades!  It was really nice seeing the sun for at least a little while

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Eric Eames

[Bloated Chipmunk]

Those are some funny pictures...   

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Home is where the hiking is. 

"Peaks that have come and gone four times should halt a man in his steps." -- William O. Douglas

A balanced diet is a margarita in each hand.

[puzzlr]

Crack me up. Great TR. I wish I could have joined you.

We could run caption contest with just the pics from this trip!

Which one of these things doesn't belong 

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Mid Fork Rocks • flickr

[JimK]

Not sure if I have any original photos after all the others that have been posted. I do have a little bit more detailed description of the route here along with all 30 photos:

Red Top Mountain Report & Photos

Here are a few:

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Hiking Northwest