[ira]

Went out with 4 friends on saturday to the Teanaway. Original plan was to do some steep snow in Snoq Pass area but due to higher avy conditions we decided to head east to safer terrain. The road to Beverly creek TH is completely clear of snow. We headed out on the trail up Bean/Beverly Creeks and took the Bean Creek trail to the right. Not too far up it is necessary to cross the creek and it is raging at the moment. We should have brought water shoes but didn't so our feet got totally wet with water going about 18 inches up our legs. Oh well, wet feet for the rest of the day. We stayed on the trail until it was completely under snow and then just traveled up the valley until we got to the base of Bean Peak. Along the way we crossed a huge avalanche slide that had come off Mary Peak. I really didn't expect to see anything like this in this area. Trees 1.5 ft in diameter had been snapped off at the base and there was debris everywhere. Pretty impressive for this side of the mtns.

Avy debris off Mary Peak

Sergei, Chris and Patrick

Once at the base of Bean we headed up on snow until the group split in two with two of us taking the rock route up the south side and the other three taking the snow route. We were just looking for some rock to climb to mix it up. On the summit of Bean it appeared to be a good time for lunch.

Patrick and Sergei on Bean Peak

Then 4 of us headed over to Volcanic Neck. We went around the east side on snow until we got to what we thought was the beginning of the route. It looked snowfree so we left our ice axes at the bottom. It was somewhat steep and had a lot of loose rock so i was somewhat suspicious that maybe we weren't on the correct route. This was confirmed when i went over the top of a ridge and saw the correct route, under steep, deep snow. I guess we could have gone back for our ice axes but we didn't. Now we just headed up the steep snow and rock on the left side, sometimes on snow, sometimes on rock and sometimes one foot and hand on each. It wasn't difficult but sure harder than the class 3 i was expecting. We all summited and were the first to sign-in this year. then it was time to downclimb, always harder than going up. With the loose rock, steep snow and sometimes ice on the route, it made the going quite hazardous so we went slowly. Down in one piece we headed back to Bean Peak where we picked up Rob and our packs.

Chris and Sergei coming down Volcanic Neck

From here we decided to do the high traverse over to Mary Peak. We stayed on top of the rock ridge as much as possible which involves a lot of climbing up and down and around. It took about 1.75 hrs to get to Mary Peak. Totally a fun rock route that is primarily class 3 with a little class 4 and some exposure. Recommend this for those that really enjoy scrambling on rock. There are also many places where it is possible to get off the rock if you get tired of it - but that wouldn't be as much fun. Once on the summit of Mary it was time to head on back to the TH. We followed the north ridge of Mary down quite a ways before heading steeply down a snow slope with plunge steps and then onto soft dirt which we were also able to plunge step on. Now in the Beverly Creek valley we followed the snow/trail back to the TH. Along the way we crossed another sizeable avalanche field that had come off the west face of Mary. Smaller than the other one but still destructive. Just before hitting the main trail where it splits from the Bean creek trail it is again necessary to cross a creek. This one was much easier but still got our feet wet. Beautiful sunny day in the Teanaway, like always. 8.3 miles, 4260 ft gain. brought snowshoes but never used them.

[JimK]

We were the folks you saw in the parking lot in the morning and on the trail heading down the Beverly Creek Trail. It was a beautiful day to be on a peak in the Teanaway.

[Gimpilator]

I going up there tomorrow to traverse from Earl to Bill. Thanks very much for the report. Now I know not to carry snowshoes as I suspected.

[amylikes2hike]

JimK, did you hike up Iron Peak? I was with a group on Teanaway and Iron that day and saw two people up there. I wonder if we crossed paths that day.