Forum Index > Trip Reports > Yellow Hill & Elbow Peak 2/12/2018
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Pribbs
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Pribbs
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 12:36 am 
Here is the GPS track: http://www.movescount.com/moves/move200870919 We were able to do this all WITHOUT snowshoes! The snow was so consolidated, resembling spring. It is because it hadn't snowed in a few days and overnight temps were in the teens. The snow conditions were perfect today! At the end of the pavement of the Middle Fork Teanaway Road, still 2 miles from the trailhead, we encountered an impassable pile of snow blocking the road. Maybe it was intentionally left there to not allow vehicles any further and only snowmobiles and XC skiers. If not, that is pretty inconsiderate and the plow simply had to turn and push the snow off to the side. The road behind it (behind me in this photo) was completely covered in compact snow and ice, but our Subaru would've totally made it at least to the Middle Fork TH before the road starts going uphill.
So we started by walking the road for two miles across the bridge and past the Middle Fork TH, up the hill on the road and then hung a right at 2 miles, and then another right to arrive at the Elbow Peak TH. This is where we entered the vast devastation of last year's Jolly Mountain Fire. We followed the track up the hill for over a mile to 3700 feet where a steep trail went up to the right. We took that trail until it faded away under the snow. We continued to follow the trail shown on our GPS apps, pretty much staying on the ridge, went up and over a bump and then up a higher bump on the ridge for a view of the big hill ahead.
We had to descend, at first on steep ashy bare rock, down to a saddle. We came to an open snow gully and ascended directly up it. When it split in two, we stayed in the left branch to go up to regain the summer trail at 4700 feet. We then took a direct route straight for the summit of Yellow Hill, going up some steep open slopes. 5.5 miles from the car, we reached the forested summit of Yellow Hill. We continued NW on the ridge and arrived at a dramatic viewpoint of the Teanaway peaks and Stuart Range, and the rolling ridge that remained ahead of us.
Down we went about 300 feet and when we came to the first bump on the ridge, we avoided it by following the trail on the GPS app around the right of that hill. The next hill we went directly up and over and that led to a rocky outcropping hill. From here we had a good view of the last bit of ridge ahead of us, which actually had a lot of bare ground!
We descended down the steep snow and dirt onto the rocky ridgeline and followed that to the base of the final hill up to Elbow Peak.
As we left the bare ground and got back onto snow, the snow here got very icy and slick and microspikes were good to have here; we used them on the way down. We followed the ridge up to the summit of Elbow Peak, which is hard to distinguish. Although I think the far north summit is highest, we stopped at the summit that is marked on maps. 7.4 miles from the car. Good enough! Wow the views were incredible: Teanaway mountains, Stuart Range, Jolly Mountain, Daniel, Hinman, Bears Breast, Summit Chief, Chimney Rock, Lemah, Chikamin, 3 Queens, Hibox, and Rainier!
Hiking back up all of the hills on the way back to Yellow Hill was a bit taxing, and then the big push up Yellow Hill was brutal.
Going down from Yellow Hill, I displayed my tracking skills by following our tracks down the mountain, which was hard at times in shadier places with firmer snow. When in doubt, just follow the trail shown on a GPS app. Once we got down to the saddle below the snow gully we of course had to go back up and over the steep rocky bump on the ridge and the next small hill after that. But then it was all downhill as we soon found ourselves on the track again which we followed back to the TH. Then we marched out the endless 2 miles of the road back to the car. Started at 8am, got back at 5:25pm. 14.7 miles RT, 4850 feet of gain.

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kitya
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kitya
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 7:11 am 
Long open ridges are great! So pretty, thank you for the report!

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RichP
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 7:14 am 
I've been curious about conditions over there. Thanks for the update.

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mbravenboer
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 12:50 pm 
up.gif That looks great!

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John Morrow
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 7:32 pm 
Pribbs wrote:
If not, that is pretty inconsiderate and the plow simply had to turn and push the snow off to the side. The road behind it (behind me in this photo) was completely covered in compact snow and ice, but our Subaru would've totally made it at least to the Middle Fork TH before the road starts going uphill.
Remember, there would have been a lot of snow all around there when the plows were working. It was probably quite narrow and I believe that it is private land on either side. Kittco has many many roads to plow fast after a snowfall and recreation access is not necessarily considered unless it is a snowpark. But you are also right that the berm location is to prevent vehicles from attempting to drive onto the grooming and getting stuck, and preserve the route for snowmobilers, snowshoers, and x-c skiers. I share your frustration, it'd be nice to have a workforce available to re-create access in real time as roads melt out unevenly, but it's not realistic in these austere times. John

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”-Mary Oliver “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom.” ― MLK Jr.
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Pribbs
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PostTue Feb 13, 2018 7:38 pm 
But all it had to do was leave enough room for a car to get past. Like the plow wasn't even thinking about the trailheads up the road that people want to access.

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rossb
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PostFri Feb 16, 2018 10:51 pm 
Did you try just digging your way through? I can't tell for sure from the picture but it doesn't look like it would take that long to dig your way through (especially if you had more than one person and could take turns).

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Pribbs
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PostFri Feb 16, 2018 11:19 pm 
The snow was like ice. It would've take a stick of dynamite to get through that. Besides, by the time we would be done digging we could be at the trailhead instead.

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puzzlr
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puzzlr
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PostSat Feb 17, 2018 7:12 pm 
The blockage is frustrating, but I agree with John -- it looks like the spot where the groomed trail starts every winter. The following photo was where we needed to start walking to Yellow Hill in 2009.
End of the plowed portion of the Middle Fork Teanaway road. The groomed snowmobile route starts on the other side of the snow berm.
End of the plowed portion of the Middle Fork Teanaway road. The groomed snowmobile route starts on the other side of the snow berm.

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Moose
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PostThu Mar 22, 2018 12:12 pm 
Thanks for this report and great photos! Thinking about heading out there this weekend - how did you feel about avy risk on this route? I know it's considered a safe winter scramble if you stay on the ridge...but curious about your experience. Your GPS track looks like you stayed almost entirely on the ridge, but your TR notes some open gullies, steep open slopes, etc.

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Pribbs
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PostThu Mar 22, 2018 12:18 pm 
It is a very safe route. Not really any avy slopes we were ever on

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Moose
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PostFri Mar 23, 2018 8:46 am 
Awesome, thanks for the reply!

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Sadie's Driver
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PostSun Mar 25, 2018 7:57 pm 
Had a great time on Yellow Hill today with Middle E and Carla and Matt. Berm is mostly gone. Able to drive within 1/4 mile of the start. Snow was firm on the road in the morning - softer in the afternoon, but passable without road damage. Devastating fire damage, but the views on this lovely morning were spectacular. Made it to Yellow Hill without snowshoes in under 3 hours. Carla and Matt continued on to Elbow - on snowshoes - but we called it good at Yellow. Beautiful day. Moose, it looks like you turned back before you crossed the creek. Much easier once you get off that hill!

Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
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Pribbs
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PostSun Mar 25, 2018 8:33 pm 
Did you at least go just past Yellow's summit for the big viewpoint? That is the big secret for people just doing Yellow Hill. Nice that you got to drive close to the TH.

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Sadie's Driver
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PostSun Mar 25, 2018 8:51 pm 
Oh yes. We've done this many times and know the primo view spots!

Four-paw buddy lets me tag along!
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