Home > Trip Reports > May 3, Earl Grey, sin frijoles

May 3, Earl Grey, sin frijoles

5/3/14
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Posted by radka on 5/4/14 12:12pm
Another weekend of iffy weather had us, that is Kenji and I, heading east, once again, this time to the Teanaway area.

We were able to drive to within less than a mile of the Bean Creek trailhead, stopped by several piles of snow that weren't passable for a Subaru. We carried skis to the Bean Creek crossing on firm snow, but one could also skin at least half the way. The creek was running pretty high and Kenji had no sandals to wear for creek crossing so he proposed that we go straight up the ridge. We booted for a short steep-ish section before we switched to skinning - this access worked out very well for us. Once in the basin it was a straight shot up pretty steep slopes that fortunately had snow soft just enough to be able to skin up. For the final slope on Earl, we opted for a combination of ski crampons and booting, as this section was pretty steep and firm. On the summit of Earl Peak, the views were in and out. We leafed through the register where we saw many familiar names before heading down. The skiing was quite enjoyable and fun - not too firm and not too mushy. For our return route, we stayed high on our traverse back to the creek and descended right at the creek crossing.

Weather report: sun-clouds-clouds-sun-rain shower-clouds-snow-snow-blizzard-sun-clouds-snow-rain shower. This sequence was changing in 15-minute intervals.

We didn't get to Bean because the weather was so moody, maybe next time.

Some pictures:


It's a tree with a bird in it! A bree! Or a tird?



Apparently, my name in Japanese looks like a bug  :D:



Colorful lichen on the summit:



Lots of terrain:



Freshies in May!


More pics http://radkaandchris.smugmug.com/Skiing/2014/Earl-Grey-no-frijoles-May-3rd-

The photographer ready for action:


a few more here; looks like Radka's link has a pasting error, try this

Nice to see reports from this area! I am hoping to camp/ski in the Stafford Creek basin between Earl and Navajo next weekend. Any observations/advice or avy info would be appreciated.

We did not see anything move on Saturday, but it was a pretty cold day. There was evidence of large cornice failures on the final ridge to Earl and still lots of cornices waiting to break.

...sin frijoles.  clever :)

author=radka link=topic=31635.msg132776#msg132776 date=1399259567]

We didn't get to Bean because the weather was so moody, maybe next time.



Drove to the trail head today in a Forester with a couple of tries for the last drift.  Hiked and skied up Earl via the NW ridge.  Skied down the central gully on the W face.  Snow could have been better but was more or less stable on a coolish day.  Get on it; it's going fast down low.

May 7 update. I was able to drive to Beverly TH in standard passenger car (Legacy). The main North Fork road is loaded with potholes and the Beverly road is quite rough. Easy does it. I would estimate the walk is about .8 mile from Bean Creek crossing until consistent snow. Barefoot with rolled up pants works fine for creek crossing but it was quite active today.

Far SE drainage run off Earl was great proto corn.  Two inch pole penetration by early pm.  The crust below not very strong  but held. Lots of snow above 4500 everywhere but unfortunately pretty dry below. Usual great views from summit. Stuart looked to have real nice coverage for those with the mettle to do the approach work.

Radka/Kenji--I have tried that south ridge route twice. It seems quite tedious but with it drier than normal down below, it might be better option. I seem to recall treewell hell. The north facing slope back down looked to be already melted out if one was to choose that route now.

We need Mr. Plow to open up the North Fork road to the end before the south facing stuff is all gone there! ;)

author=glenn_b link=topic=31635.msg132871#msg132871 date=1399435876]
Hiked and skied up Earl via the NW ridge.  Skied down the central gully on the W face. 
Nice route. That gully is really fun when the snow is good! I like the trees up high on the face as well - very pretty. We've always just been content with topping out at the northern end of the summit ridge, saving the true summit for summer hikes. I think we were spoiled our first few trips up there - we were able to drive to the TH and yet got skis on before the creek crossing and even crossed the creek on snow. The other trips have required various amounts of hiking beyond the creek crossing...

author=Jim Oker link=topic=31635.msg132914#msg132914 date=1399596972]
Nice route. That gully is really fun when the snow is good!

The efficacious route would have followed an established boot path up to the south ridge when we emerged from the forest.  Mounties, maybe.  Inside joke, some members of the Sherpa Climbing Club, following in the steps of Gene/Bill Prater, the Freds-Dunham and Stanley, and so on, would cite the S ridge of Earl Peak as their qualifying climb for membership in the American Alpine Club.

Update from 5/10. Road is driveable to the TH. Not much snow until you get near the upper Bean Creek Basin. Plenty of snow after that. Corn was in excellent shape on 5/10 at 2 pm.





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may-3-earl-grey-sin-frijoles
radka
2014-05-04 19:12:47