Earl Peak and Bean Peak - 11.10.2011
rodman's GPS route of our trip to Earl Peak and Bean Peak... 8 miles roundtrip, gaining 3849 feet of elevation.
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From 29 Pines Campground... drive ~4 miles on the N. Fork Teanaway road... turn right just before crossing Beverly Creek and drive to the Beverly Turnpike trailhead (3600') at end of the road.
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Uh oh... we may have to deal with 'Goats Gone Wild'... 27 degrees at the parking area.
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Beverly Creek at the parking area.
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We hiked a half mile on trail #1391 (Beverly Turnpike) and turned right onto trail #1391.1 (Bean Creek).
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recon makes the first crossing (4100') of Bean Creek... a little slippery, but not that big of a deal.
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The first of two avalanche gullys as we continue on the trail towards Bean Creek Basin.
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Shortly after crossing the second avalanche gully we got our first good look at Earl Peak.
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An unsigned trail junction... the trail going straight goes into Bean Creek Basin... we will go to the right and cross Bean Creek for the second time.
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rodman crossing Bean Creek (~5100').
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Looking up Bean Creek Basin as we head towards Earl Peak.
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Confirmation of how cold it was.
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Gaining elevation toward Earl Peak now... and looking back across the valley at Judy's Peak.
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recon and rodman on the trail that will take us to the pass south of Earl Peak.
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Mt. Stuart comes into view behind Bean Peak... Bean Creek Basin below... Mary's Peak on the far left.
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rodman and recon at the pass (~6200') south of Earl Peak.
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Heading north from the pass... gaining elevation on a good path.
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A closeup of Bean Peak (behind the trees), Mt. Stuart and Sherpa Peak.
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Looking south to Mt. Rainier.
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rodman ascending towards the Earl Peak summit.
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Looking across Bean Creek Basin to the snow covered peaks stretching from Snoqualmie Pass to Dutch Miller Gap.
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Bean Peak in the foreground... with Bill's Peak (left), Fortune Peak, Ingalls Peak and Mt. Stuart.
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Bears Breast Mountain is snow covered in the distance in the center of the photo... Chimney Rock and Overcoat Peak in the distance on the left.
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We can see the Earl Peak summit now.
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rodman is on the summit and recon is almost there.
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The Stuart Range from the Earl Peak summit (7036').
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A pano shot of the Stuart Range... Stuart, Sherpa, Argonaut, Colchuck, Dragontail, Little Annapurna and McClellan.
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Looking down on Bean Creek Basin... we will run the ridge on the right over to Bean Peak.
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Group shot from the Earl Peak summit... rodman, ragman and recon... Stuart and Sherpa on the left.
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rodman leads the way as we start our traverse over to Bean Peak.
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recon and rodman heading for Bean Peak.
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rodman and recon found a nice perch on the ridge.
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recon and ragman on the ridge... heading for Bean Peak (center).
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Looking east at Navaho Peak and Three Brothers.
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Looking back at the Earl Peak summit.
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recon descending along the ridge.
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rodman descending along the ridge.
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Very gnarly in places along the ridge... but there are plenty of options in dealing with them.
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Just enough snow in places to keep us focused.
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rodman in a squeeze.
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Still need to give back some elevation.
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We have given up ~600 feet of elevation from the Earl Peak summit.
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Now it will be a series of minor ups and downs over to the Bean Peak summit block.
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Looking back towards the Earl Peak summit (right in the distance).
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rodman continues towards Bean Peak.
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Break time with a nice look down on Bean Creek Basin... Judy's (left) and Mary's Peaks are in the center of the photo.
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Looking back at Earl as we continue towards Bean.
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It doesn't have to be this difficult... but we were looking for an adventure.
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Definitely Class 2 climbing here... Earl Peak in the distance.
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As hard as we are trying, there is still work to do to get over to Bean.
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recon and rodman having some fun... again, it doesn't really have to be this much fun unless you want it to be.
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Easy does it rodman.
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rodman, recon and rock.
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Class 2.
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Bean Peak is trying to get closer to us.
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Finally... some easier terrain will get us over to the Bean Peak summit block.
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A pano shot showing Bean Peak and the Stuart Range.
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A closeup of Volcanic Neck in the foreground... Sherpa Peak on the left and Argonaut Peak on the right.
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At last... the Bean Peak summit block.
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recon gaining elevation now... Navaho Peak on the far left... with Earl Peak on the right.
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recon and rodman... up and up.
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Still ascending... so many choices here.
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recon leads the way... don't slip here.
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So close now...
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recon finishing off the last few steps to the summit.
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rodman wasn't far behind.
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Pano shot of the Stuart Range from the Bean Peak summit (6743').
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A closeup of Fortune Peak (left) and the three summits of Ingalls Peak... far right in the distance are Fish Eagle Peak and the south and north summits of Granite Mountain.
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A closeup of Mt. Stuart and Sherpa Peak.
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A closeup of Colchuck Peak, Dragontail Peak and Little Annapurna... Volcanic Neck and Devils Head are lower left.
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Summit shot from the Bean Peak summit... ragman, recon and rodman.
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Heading down now... accidentally had my camera on the 'Artist' setting... so in the future, please refer to me as an artist.
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Heading for Bean Creek Basin (lower right)... Earl Peak in the distance.
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recon and ragman below the Bean Peak summit block.
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In Bean Creek Basin and looking back up at Bean Peak... back on pretty good trail here... about ready to close the loop portion of our hike... which will leave a couple of miles to get back to the car.
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