Earl Peak - 5.6.2013
Directions from 29 Pines Campground to the Beverly/Bean Trailhead... our starting point for Earl Peak.
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A google earth look at the terrain around Earl Peak.
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rodman's GPS route of our trip to Earl Peak... ~6 miles roundtrip, gaining ~3450 feet of elevation. While the GPS track shows us crossing Bean Creek, I can assure you that we did not cross it today.
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The drive to the trailhead (~3600') was snow-free.
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Lordy lordy... Beverly Creek is raging.
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The original plan was to head up Beverly Turnpike and do Iron Peak or Teanaway Peak... but we deemed it to dangerous to try and cross the creek.
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We continued up to check out the Bean Creek crossing a quarter mile upstream from the trail junction... and crossing here was not an option either.
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We left the main trail and headed uphill on the east side of Bean Creek.l
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We continued cross-country along the east side of Bean Creek... basically staying 100 to 150 feet above the creek.
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The terrain opened up around 5200 feet... as we neared the entrance to Bean Creek Basin.
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The Earl Peak summit is up there somewhere.
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Looking across valley to the ridge (left) that leads to Judy Peak... with Bean Peak up valley on the far right.
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Here come the troops.
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Ascending on steep terrain now... Izzy is always on patrol.
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iraman and rodman ascending... with Mt. Rainier in the distance.
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Continuing up... a skier carved some nice turns on the other side of the gully where the summer trail is located.
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Someone ripped the seat of their pants during the bushwhack portion of the hike... and shows another good use of duct tape.
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Gaining elevation quickly now... looking across Bean Creek Basin to Judy and Mary Peaks.
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High enough now to see Mt. Stuart to the right of Bean Peak.
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Just follow the pink duct tape.
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A little intermittent rock is nice.
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rodman ascending... with Mt. Rainier on the horizon.
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A well-deserved break... but there is still plenty of work left to do.
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High enough now to see Sherpa Peak to the right of Mt. Stuart.
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A good look into Bean Creek Basin.
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Onward and upward.
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Will it never end?
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At ~6200 feet we decided to get off of the snow and work our way over to the south ridge of Earl Peak.
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Looking for the good path on the south ridge.
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BarbE and Snowdog ascending.
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On the south ridge now... with summit in view.
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An abundance of Teanaway Peaks and Alpine Lakes Wilderness Peaks.
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Reeling in the Earl Peak summit.
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BarbE on the summit... with Mt. Stuart in the distance on the left.
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Lady Bug mating season on the summit... ladies, please!
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Group shot from the Earl Peak summit (7036')... ragman, iraman, BarbE, Snowdog and rodman.
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The Stuart Range from Earl Peak.
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Looking north and west across Bean Creek Basin into the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
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East to Navaho Peak and Three Brothers.
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Time to head down.
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We will continue down the south ridge to the saddle where the summer trail crosses over into the Standup Creek drainage.
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Last look at Stuart and Sherpa as we descend.
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I think that Izzy had more fun today than anyone else.
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Almost done with the bushwhacking.
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Bean Creek is still roaring... a half-mile walk to get back to the car.
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