Tuesday, March 17, 2020

2020.3.15. Teanaway Butte snowshoe

3/15, Sunday. Forecast sunny, looked through WTA's recent trip reports and picked Teanaway Butte. However, the east side of the Cascades had unusually more clouds than the west side.

Following the instruction of the trip report, parked the car at the end of plowed Middle Fork Teanaway Road, near the last house. There were 2 other cars. Walked the 0.8 mile on the compact snow to the junction of FS road 230. There was one car parked here. "No unauthorized vehicle". We followed clear boot track all the way to the Butte, mostly along dirt roads covered with snow. A few stretches were sandy yellow dirt. Incline is gentle, and sometimes flat. Warm under the sun, chilly if a bit of breeze. Burnt forest. Saw a black and white woodpecker, a group of 2 girls. Open view to the south, which was rather cloudy. This goes on for ~4 miles.

At the last ~half mile, the trail bends west, north of a small butte. More snow here. Put on snowshoes. View to the north is grand, even through trees. Met a couple. The last 200' is steep, and little icy. If your snowshoes don't have side walls, better take them off. Found some building foundation at the top. Relished the 360° view and solitude here. Rainier was cloudy. Many peaks to the north, including Ingalls and Stuart.

On the way back, after ~3 miles, took the yellow trail on my GPS map down (see screenshot. The entire pink route was well-beaten. We saw only one side track to the east, probably to Jungle Creek TH). Couldn't see any track or trail on the ground. Muddy at times. Shorter, less winding. Ended on the road just west of Indian Camp campground, 5 minute walk past the junction to FS 230.

On the drive out, at the junction of West and North Fork Teanaway, saw 5 elks (only 1 bull) at the front lawn of this house.
Further out on Teanaway Road, saw a group of ~20 turkeys by the road, walking into the fenced woods. What a day!

Scratched the car at Cle Elum before getting on I-90:( Sunset over Snoqualmie Pass was quite pretty.

Total about 10.5 miles, 2650' EG. 29K steps.