Teneriffe Falls, Mount Teneriffe & Blowdown Mountain Road — Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

Roundtrip starting from the DNR Gate / school bus turnaround on SE Mt Si Road, I past the only person I saw throughout the day prior to the "Teneriffe Falls" sign marking the start of the major switchbacks. (There seems to be a new, rather wide trail ascending from the road that may be a bypass, and a second trail departing to the right of the plateau trail before it reaches the creek.) Surface snow and slush, and some places of crispy mud, provided reasonable traction to Kamikaze falls and upward to the ridge. Footing remained sufficient over the few boulder piles ascending the ridge. Snowshoes are advised above about 1100m. With 25kt winds and no visibility for pictures, I directly descended toward the false summit, following the orange tape and working hard to flatten the trail that the two post-holers left; snow on that portion of the trail was hard on the ankles. Snow in the saddle was 12-18" and very soft, permitting an easier descent off the trail; I almost fell asleep during the final, steep descent off the false summit as it was so comfortable. Good snowshoeing and easy going along Teneriffe Road, with the old road to Blowdown intersecting around N47d30.614' W121d43.106'. It's about 0.7mi and 175m ascent to the summit, with several trees blocking the connector road. The main summit view is west-northwest, with better openings during the ascent. Please wear snowshoes so you don't foul the trails.