The approach is via forest road 119 which leaves the opposite side of FR 4110 from where we drove up to Cole Butte last week. There is a sign for the turnoff "Trail 1318 2 miles" but you won't get far up the road due to several fallen trees.
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/okawen/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=57415&actid=24
We walked 1.5 miles up road 119 to the official trailhead at 4700' which is not signed and soon entered nice forest on the way up to "Blow Past Peak" which is easy to blow past without noticing this forested bump.
A half dozen downed trees stopped us about 1.5 miles before the trailhead.
East peak of Blowout and the basin below through which we would return.
Monty on Blowout Mtn.
Relaxing on Blowout Mtn, 5750.'
We decided to check out the east peak of Blowout that features a walk along a cliffy ridge and return via the Manastash Ridge Trail. We found many game trails to walk on and there was little brush to contend with. We all agreed this was the best part of the day.
Small pond below Blowout Mtn and headwaters of Big Creek. This area has so far been spared from logging.
Lots of this greenish colored rock near Blowout.
Puzzlr on traverse to east peak.
Checking out the vertical.
Goats below during traverse to east peak.
Along the way we spotted some goats walking along the little ledges below the ridge and puzzlr scrambled a spire.
Puzzlr never leaves a pointy thing unclimbed.
Puzzlr on top of spire.
East peak of Blowout, Point 5556.'
After reaching the east peak we dropped back to the low point of the ridge and took the Manastash Ridge Trail down to a small pond before ascending back to near Blow Past Peak and returning to the car. Here we spotted a good sized herd of elk grazing in the meadows below.
Grazing elk below.
Looping back along the Manastash Ridge trail.
Stealthily passing by grazing elk.
A large elk cooling off and checking on the others in its group who are now alerted to our presence.
Just before most of the herd scampered into the forest.
Looking back to part of the traverse and Point 5556.'
On the way down we tried to drive up to Cabin Mtn to see how far we could go but found trees down immediately on Cabin Creek Rd north of the junction with Rd 4110. Off we went for the brew pub instead.
Another fun day on the "forgotten" side of I-90.
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