Green Mountain 5-19-2012

This is our first hike on Green Mountain in North Bend.  A couple of people wrote about their hikes.  I will look at there route maps closely and try a different route next time.  
http://www.willhiteweb.com/washington/green_mountain/north_bend_hiking_390.htm  http://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7997557&highlight=green+mt+mtn+mountain

I-90 East, exit 34.  Turn left and go under freeway for 1/2 mile.  Turn right to SE Middle Fork Rd, aka Forest Rd 56.  At 2.5 miles, pavement ends at Mailbox TH.  Continue a few more miles on the gravel road to the concrete bridge.  Park just before the bridge and walk across the bridge. There is no parking spot on the other side.

On the other side of the bridge is an inconspicuous small trail that drops down.  This is the beginning of the trail.

We did 10 miles and 3929 ft elevation gain.  

Shortly after we left the "trail head," we crossed a small log bridge and moss garden.

A brand new log bridge: someone put in  a lot of work rebuilding the bridge and creek bank.

Long talus field: we had to decide whether to continue or....  In looking at other people's routes, we could have walked straight up.  But it looked very steep and there weren't any foot prints anywhere.  We have to kick in to snow every step.

We crossed the talus field, and it was loooooong.  Snow was even slushier coming back!

I was already up at the ridge waiting for my pack members.

  That is Mt. Teneriffe.

From the ridge to the peak is grade 2.  The ridge is very narrow with large patches of snow.  We decided to turn around even though the peak is oh so near.

Sly  found a cool lunch spot

A cute pika joined us.  There were lots of hairy poop of, I suspect, coyotes and big cats.  I wonder if little pikas are contributing to the composition of the hairy poop on the ridge.

Me and Champ

Time to go down

Trillium