Mount Teneriffe and Dixie Peak in the clouds

Another day exploring in the Mt Teneriffe area. I-90 from Seattle to North Bend, Mt Si Rd to the Teneriffe trailhead (the beginning of the blue trace at the south edge of the topo map, below) at 950 ft elevation and stepped onto the trail at 6 a.m.  Up to the Teneriffe (Kamikase) Falls trail (red trace) and by the southwest ridge trail to the Teneriffe summit (4788 ft) at 9:30 a.m. Then by the blue trace to the Dixie Peak link (orange trace). I'd never before walked this seldom used and little maintained trail and I left the only footprints along the way. Arrived at the true summit of Dixie Peak (4606 ft) at 11:15 a.m. and eventually returned to the Teneriffe road trail and completed the loop back to my beginning.

The lower part of Teneriffe Falls.

 

 

 The upper part of the falls.

A brief diversion before heading up up up.

The southwest ridge is really steep, including a mile that ascends 2400 ft.

I heard several male grouse—I think they are sooty grouse—doing their springtime drumming, and saw this one putting on a display. You can get a better idea what you're looking at here.

A grey day, fog and clouds, but little bits of color appearing. Still too early for many wildflowers.

From Teneriffe summit to the north.

About the only bit of sunshine all day. Dixie Peak rises to the left, with Rachor Lake below.

On the narrow rocky spine that connects Dixie's false south and true summits. Looking down at Crater Lake and above the two minor peaks, Blowdown Mountain (left) and Crater Lake Peak (right).

On to the true summit.

As indicated by a cairn. Had it been clear, the views would have been large.

Back down the spine.

I walked through a lot of rotted snow up there, slushy and slippery, and tomorrow will be feeling rather stiff, I imagine, from having lost my footing several times.

Back down on the Teneriffe "road" trail.

And finally to return where winter has little impact.