Forum Index > Trip Reports > 2017.10.09 - "Locals Only" in Headlight Basin
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pipedream
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pipedream
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PostMon Oct 09, 2017 10:29 pm 
While watching the weather intensely last week (and not much else from my windowless basement office in suburban corporatlandia), I noticed the Jolly Mtn Fire restrictions had been dialed way back & it looked like Monday was going to offer the best weather for peeping some golden larches. I made plans w/ friends who had the day off, gave my boss & teammates the heads-up I'd be out on Monday and started getting psyched-up for a classic, fall Larch March. Then I saw the news - "Fast-moving fire closes Teanaway" mad.gif I started scheming alternative plans but it seemed like either the weather wasn't going to pan out or the timing just wouldn't work right. I scratched my head... then remembered about the "back door" routes into the Teanaway from US-97 over Teanaway Ridge to the Teanaway Rd. Sure, it might add a half hour to the drive, but it meant we were back in business! We left at dawn, not wanting to drive in the dark, with the goal of being back by the time it got dark. The temperature as we crested Snoqualmie Pass @ 8am was a bitter 32F, but the sky was bright blue. As we descended into Easton we drove into a thick valley fog, which fortunately wasn't of the freezing variety (though it was close). Exiting onto WA-970 just east of Cle Elum, we finally broke into the brilliant fall sunshine. Then something caught my eye - snow at elevation... and not just a skiff, but several inches of it. Recalling that the forecasted snow level on Sunday was 4500' I figured we were going to be in for some excitement - not really... We had an uneventful drive up and over Teanaway Ridge on FS-9738, only encountering so much as a patch of frost here and there. As if the unexpected fog layer wasn't enough of a hint, the car thermometer set the record straight - there'd been a temperature inversion overnight. What had been near-freezing temperatures down by the river were temps well into the mid-40s and coupled with the sunshine, it appeared that we'd need to be well above 5k to be hindered by any snow. After two hours in the car (and only a brief stop at a drive-thru coffee stand), the last 30 mins of which were spent driving up the wonderfully smooth N. Fk. Teanaway Rd. from 29 Pines to the Ingalls Way TH (not sarcasm, literally less than 10 potholes, no washboards and the two "washouts" don't merit noting), we pulled into the parking lot only to discover a dozen cars had already beat us there. Were these locals? Doubtful. Had these people come in the way we did? Unlikely, as we saw basically no evidence of car traffic as we descended along Jack Creek. Was the road open now, despite this morning's update indicating it was closed to non-local traffic & the obvious road blockade impeding northbound traffic just a few hundred feet up the Teanaway? I guess we'd have to ask some of the dozen or more people out there to find out. Starting up the trail @ 10, we made quick work of the initial switchbacks through the lower forest. There was a dusting of snow on the occasional patch of shrubbery but the trail was tacky and in great condition. Around 5,000' we began to encounter snow on the trail in earnest. It reached a max depth of ~4" around 5,500' and despite the path being well worn, we'd seen no one confused.gif. It wasn't until we'd squiggled our way around the slippery creek crossing just past the Longs Pass junction that we encountered a pair of Asian women clad in bright, colorful gear. Unfortunately for us, they didn't speak much, if any, English. So we still had no answer to our question of how everyone had gotten to the trailhead. But at least the snow cover was rapidly thinning on the south-facing slopes as we climbed above treeline and the warmth from not only the sunshine but the temperature inversion had us down to short sleeves for the rest of the ascent to the pass. As we crested Ingalls Pass around noon we finally encountered another group - a pair of younger guys hiking out of the snowy Headlight Basin (in tennis shoes but w/ trekking poles). They informed us that the snow was "quite deep" but the low route to the lake was passable. Not really wanting to drop down into Headlight Basin to make our intended destination of Lake Ingalls, we decided to attempt the direct route, which traverses high through Headlight Basin. Unfortunately, without the aid of poles & traction devices (oh how I recall looking at those microspikes this morning before ultimately tossing them back into the closet since my partners didn't have them), we didn't make it very far before deciding to head up to the ridgeline to bask in the mild temperatures and afternoon sunshine. After lounging about for almost an hour, we headed back down towards the car but accidentally took the older, more direct trail down. That turned-out to be a blessing - as a family of mountain goats (two babies, mom & dad) were grazing their way up the "official" route. The remainder of the return trip was uneventful, save for some entertaining close calls on a slippery portion of trail just below treeline (well, and that shimmy across a now even icier gully just before the Longs Pass j'n). Back at the car at 4, the sun had just begun to slip behind the Esmeralda massif. We decided that if, ultimately, all these cars had made it to the TH, it was worth giving an exit straight down the Teanaway River a shot, even if it meant having to run a blockade in some Dukes of Hazzard fashion. Ultimately no washed-out bridges were jumped and the only "roadblock" we encountered was a free-range cow feeding her calf smack dab in the middle of the buttery smooth, chip-sealed roadway.
Starting Up
Starting Up
Esmeralda Massif
Esmeralda Massif
Larch lost on the wrong side of Ingalls Pass
Larch lost on the wrong side of Ingalls Pass
Headlight Basin
Headlight Basin
Mt. Stuart
Mt. Stuart
King of the Mountain
King of the Mountain
Trail hogs
Trail hogs
Snow-free
Snow-free

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tigermn
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PostTue Oct 10, 2017 1:46 pm 
FYI Kittitas County Sherrif Facebook said Teanaway road will reopen today (10/10/2017) at 16:00. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and there might be something left on Saturday up there. I was curious about that back way in and almost tried that yesterday but just wasn't sure/didn't want to get home late so opted for Granite Mountain instead.

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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostTue Oct 10, 2017 2:21 pm 
Thanks for your report and photos pipedream. It looks beautiful up there right now. Just the right amount of snow for contrast and definition of the topography.
pipedream wrote:
Exiting onto WA-907 just east of Cle Elum, we finally broke into the brilliant fall sunshine.
Do you mean Hwy 970? Or is this map mislabeled? Thanks, ~z
Open this map full screen.

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pipedream
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pipedream
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PostTue Oct 10, 2017 3:24 pm 
Yeah, I meant 970. Yesterday was tiring dizzy.gif

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Chico
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PostTue Oct 10, 2017 11:53 pm 
pipedream wrote:
the only "roadblock" we encountered was a free-range cow feeding her calf smack dab in the middle of the buttery smooth, chip-sealed roadway.
Never do what I did once many years ago. Was in the vicinity of Lick Creek and encountered cows on the roadway. What did I do but honked. Car (77 Honda hatchback) had just come out of the body shop. With the honking I startled a steer who darted in front of me and I hit him. He went on his knees and I ended up springing the hood hinge slightly. I was pissed at my own stupidity and never ever did that again.

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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostWed Oct 11, 2017 8:45 am 
pipedream wrote:
Yeah, I meant 970. Yesterday was tiring dizzy.gif
It's all good. I can well imagine it was. Thanks for the report on conditions and road access. ~z

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