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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7220 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:04 am
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After many days of rain and dangerous avalanche conditions it was finally time to get out on a sunny Thursday east of the crest. The low elevation and timbered slopes in this area were considered safe and everything we observed bore that out -- there was only about 3-4 feet of well packed snow in most areas.
Our party of five started at Twentynine Pines campground, traversed over Tarzan Butte, climbed Teanaway Butte and returned along the Jungle Creek road. The entire route was 12.5 miles with ~3300' of total gain and took about 8 hours with breaks on both summits.
I didn't do a lot of planning or map research before leaving -- mainly just sketched a rough route to download into my GPS. Had I looked at Google Earth or one of the other somewhat up-to-date maps I would have realized what we quickly found out. Most of the area by these two peaks is riddled with logging roads, old and new. We used them when they went in our direction and went cross country when they did not, but we kept running into more roads. With excellent snowshoeing conditions I think we ended up doing an efficient route even though it would be possible to use more roads. But where's the fun in that?
Open Street Map of snowshoe route Google Earth view of route showing recently logged areas and the roads used to do the work. Fortunately, the logged areas are not complete clearcuts and left scattered standing trees, making it less bleak than it could have been.
Starting at Twentynine Pines we used road bridges to cross the Teanaway River and Jungle Creek. From there it was basically cross country to Tarzan Butte, mostly through logged areas with scattered Ponderosa Pines left standing, maybe for natural reseeding. The last few hundred feet to Tarzan Butte was a little steep, but fun with solid crusty snow.
Heading out on the groomed road. It would be freshly groomed again today while we were hiking. But the grooming doesn't go up the Jungle Creek road -- it turns left toward Rye Creek. See the Teanaway Community Forest map. We started up a ridge off trail, but quickly ran into an old road that went in our direction, so we took it. Tarzan Butte ahead. The slopes are steeper than they look. We went up along the treed ridge right of center Lower down was a logging area with what is probably a cat track under the snow Top of Tarzan Butte
We dropped off the other size of Tarzan Butte, again a little steep and followed a ridge to the pass between Tarzan and Teanaway Butte. The area inbetween these peaks has either not been logged or has grown long enough to appear to be original forest, including some huge Ponderosas. Higher on Teanaway Butte we picked up an old road system that led all the way to the base of the summit pyramid where the fire lookout used to be. This summit has wide views from Manastash ridge to the Enchantments, with the Teanaway area close by.
Tarzan and Teanaway Buttes One of several face plants during the day A particularly beautiful Ponderosa Pine Tarzan Butte from slopes on Teanaway Butte Coming across more logging roads on Teanaway Butte A lone tree grows on the summit of Teanaway Butte Teanaway Butte summit Teanaway Butte summit Teanaway Butte summit panorama. Includes Yellow Hill, Elbow, Jolly, Skookum, Malcom, Koppen, Stuart.
Rather than climb up and over Tarzan Butte again to get out we dropped down to Liars Prairie and slogged out the almost 5 miles to the car. Later in the day the snow had softened the crust so it was annoying to break trail and we rotated regularly to share the work.
Snow creature nesting in a small tree A magnificent Ponderosa Pine at Liars Prarie Walking down the road from Liars Prairie The long snowshoe out the Jungle Creek road The long, long snowshoe out the Jungle Creek road The long, long, long snowshoe out the Jungle Creek road
About the Jungle Creek road (FR9701)
The Forest Service page just shows closed for winter. The TCF map above shows it going a little past that trailhead, 2.7 miles from Twentynine Pines. There was no gate or other visible blockage on the road and I can't find any current information that says it's not driveable farther. Perhaps the FS has stopped clearing blowdown, and there were a few of those farther up.
In June, 2011 I drove up all the way to Liars Prairie for a short summer Teanaway Butte climb with my son. There was a partial washout that appears to still be in the same condition (under the snow now). There is no trail from Liars Prairie to the summit, but it's easy to scramble up through the open forest to the old road system coming up from the Middle Fork Teanaway. The final steep part up the summit pyramid does have a trail with a few switchbacks.
2011 washout 1.5 miles up the road.
Another interesting note is that most WTA reports for Teanaway Butte are for the route up from the Middle Fork Teanaway valley via closed road 230, now called Teanaway Butte Road.
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BarbE Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2006 Posts: 1153 | TRs | Pics
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BarbE
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Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:12 pm
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A beautiful day in the Teanaway with better than anticipated weather and a fun snowshoe to Tarzan and Teanaway Butte.
Glad we started with the interesting ridge route and saved the long tedious roadwalk for the end.
Stuart Summit views Teanaway Butte summit lunch Peak pointers Looking West Stuart & friends Ponderosa Pine @ Liars Prairie Jungle Creek
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RichP Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2006 Posts: 5634 | TRs | Pics Location: here |
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RichP
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Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:14 pm
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It was a good day out with a fun group, but again that road walk was long! Snowdog really outdid us on that Tarzan holler.
Parking near 29 Pines turnaround. The North Fork Teanaway Rd still buried in snow. Arriving to Teanaway Butte. The Louvre. Jolly Mtn. Malcom Mtn. Stuart. Teanaway peaks. Colchuck to Little Annapurna. Heading down.
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7220 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Fri Mar 17, 2017 12:39 pm
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BarbE - love that angle on the Ponderosa Pine shot. Shows why you're the artist and I just take snapshots!
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wildernessed viewbagger
Joined: 31 Oct 2004 Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics Location: Wenatchee |
Looks good !
Living in the Anthropocene
Living in the Anthropocene
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Chico Member
Joined: 30 Nov 2012 Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sat Mar 18, 2017 2:50 pm
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puzzlr wrote: | Google Earth view of route showing recently logged areas and the roads used to do the work. Fortunately, the logged areas are not complete clearcuts and left scattered standing trees, making it less bleak than it could have been. |
Former land owner had done some major cutting.
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Kim Brown Member
Joined: 13 Jul 2009 Posts: 6899 | TRs | Pics
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BarbE, beautiful photos! I really like the one of Jungle Cr!
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
"..living on the east side of the Sierra world be ideal - except for harsher winters and the chance of apocalyptic fires burning the whole area."
Bosterson, NWHiker's marketing expert
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Distel32 Member
Joined: 03 Jun 2014 Posts: 961 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Distel32
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:33 pm
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