I hiked up to Yellow Hill and then along the ridge over Elbow Peak to Jolly Mountain, then came back along the Middle Fork Teanaway River trail. The ridge was great, but the valley was a bit of an adventure.
The gate is open, and despite potholes past Indian Camp, most cars should be able to reach the start of the multi-use Yellow Hill road/trail. Blowdown will discourage ATV use until it is cleared. Snow patches started showing up around 4000' and soon became continuous, but made for easy booting straight up Yellow Hill. I was mostly on snow for the rest of the ridge, but never needed snowshoes.
I finally reached Jolly at 4:30pm and after descending to the north a bit decided to drop straight down to the east and return along the Middle Fork Teanaway, not considering what all the unbridged crossings would entail. In a few places I found logs across the raging river, and in others I gingerly worked across cliff faces or went up and around them. Even when I managed to follow the trail the going was often tedious due to blowdown, debris, and undercut snow patches. Just west of Teanaway Butte, well after sunset, I finally gave up on trying to follow the trail, and headed straight up some very steep and loose terrain to avoid a cliffy section, then contoured over to an old road bed and followed roads back to my starting point. I should have just stayed on Road 230 all the way to the MF Teanaway Road, but took a shortcut trail shown on the map that ended up being pretty much obliterated. It worked out though.
I recommend the ridge right now for anyone comfortable with steep snow travel, but not the valley - wait several more months for the river to become fordable. And the MF Teanaway trail is going to need a bit of cleanup work.
Comments
kidz won't hike on Yellow Hill, Jolly Mountain, Middle Fork Teanaway River
Nicely done, as that is a heck of a loop. Thanks for the report that the road to the Yellow Hill trailhead is clear
Posted by:
kidz won't hike on May 02, 2021 03:07 PM
ngie on Yellow Hill, Jolly Mountain, Middle Fork Teanaway River
I appreciate the report! There have definitely been early season conditions abound lately in numerous high places I’ve visited.
I hope you have happy safe travels <3.
Posted by:
ngie on May 03, 2021 06:02 AM
Skygypsy on Yellow Hill, Jolly Mountain, Middle Fork Teanaway River
Nice job! We came up the other way (from the snowmobile parking lot), saw your tracks from the summit and thought, "How did they get here from there?" That hike is a bear at this time of year, no matter which way you cut it. Cheers!
Posted by:
Skynomad on May 03, 2021 08:22 AM