May 8-10, Teanaway and Iron Peaks

Here's another trip to the grocery store report.  :) This one from Beverly Creek.  The road is snow free to the trailhead, the creek is up to knee deep and very fast, patchy snow starts soon after, and there is continuous snow starting at about 4600 to 4700 feet. Snow below 5600 feet is pockmarked from debris; above the snow surface is superb on areas that don't get much afternoon sun. It's still about timing, based on cloud cover and nighttime temps.

For the run off Teanaway Peak (aka "Genes Peak"),  point 6779 my timing great; 10:00 am following a clear night with a low of 30 degrees at 5400'. Best run all year in fact. The next day on the NE face of Iron Peak 9 am was a just bit early, at least for the top 300 feet or so. Below that, it was 'just right'. The day started with filtered sunshine so the slope was slow to thaw. When the sky is perfectly clear this slope can turn to mush by 9 because it faces right into the morning sun, and I think it acts like a giant solar collector.

Crossing the creek: last year's idea of putting plastic shopping bags over my boot liners was a bust. The bags came just over the boot tops, and the water was knee deep. But I'm stubborn. This year I tried putting heavier trash compactor bags over the liners and then taping the bags closed above my knees. Success! It worked like a charm. I had previously shaved off all the mold marks in the inside of the boots to save wear on the liners, so the bags did not get torn or punctured. I doubt this idea would work if any sharp mold marks are present.

Here's a pic, and one of Stuart from the route up Teanaway Peak too.