Trip Report
Day Hike - Longs Pass & Iron Peak Loop
Adventurous loop hike in the Teanaway. Two fords of Ingalls Creek and 50' of scrambling below Longs Pass.
Brian Carpenter
- Sat, Jul 7, 2018
- Day Hike - Longs Pass & Iron Peak Loop
- Iron & Teanaway Peaks
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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Trail descending from Longs Pass towards Stuart is more of a climber's path than a trail. The path is not obvious at first glance from the pass. The first 50' below the pass is a scramble on loose rock. Below that it would have been easier with snow to plunge-step down. Snow was all melted so we had to carefully pick our way down the steep "trail" which includes slippery dirt, loose rocks, mud, boulder hopping and high root steps.
There is a log across Ingalls at the bottom of the trail down from Longs Pass but it is quite high above the river and not very wide. Two of us elected to wade across the creek (knee deep) rather than risk falling off the log.
The Turnpike trail that heads south from Ingalls trail is missing the foot log but the ford was short and easy, again knee-high water.
Turnpike trail up to the saddle between Teanaway and Bill's peak was easy to follow. GT map says it is hard to follow but this is incorrect. Just a few minor blow downs easily skirted and the tread was obvious the whole way.
Hiked a clockwise loop going over Longs Pass, dropping to Ingalls Creek, down-valley along Ingalls Creek, then up the Turnpike trail to the saddle between Teanaway and Bill's peak. Dropped down to the Iron Peak trail, then up to the Iron Peak saddle, short jaunt out to the peak, then down the Iron Peak trail to North Fork Teanaway road, then following the trail that parallels the road back to the Esmerelda Basin TH.
14.2 miles and 4500' of elevation gain in 9.25 hours.
On the trail by 0745, made it to Longs Pass just after 9am. Stuart is the main attraction from Longs Pass. The path that descends from Longs Pass to Ingalls Creek is in pretty bad shape and sketchy in sections, careful footing is required. Took us 2 hours to navigate this 1.4 mile stretch of trail. First 50' below Longs Pass is a scramble on loose rock, then a faint path that follows several eroded gullies down slippery loose dirt and loose rock to the trees where the route becomes more obvious but no less tricky to navigate. Lots of root steps, boulder hops, loose rock, mud and other obstacles slowed our progress.
The first ford of Ingalls Creek was straightforward and once on the Ingalls trail we made good time. Turned south on the Turnpike trail in the midst of a beautiful meadow full of blooming flowers. Turnpike trail is easy to follow and the ford of Ingalls Creek is also straightforward, although it also requires getting your feet wet. The Turnpike trail was easy to follow despite indications otherwise on the GT map. The last section before the saddle is a bit steep but easy to follow. From the saddle between Teanaway and Bill's peaks we dropped down to pick up the Iron Peak trail, which we took up to the Iron Peak saddle. After a quick jaunt up Iron Peak and a few pictures we descended the Iron Peak trail to the trailhead on the North Fork Teanaway road. Since there were only 4 of us and we were in one car we did not have the option of leaving a car here on the way in. There is an unsigned but easy to find trail (blue flagging) on the west side of the road at the Iron Peak TH that will take you up-valley parallel to the road and bring you out at the Esmerelda TH, which was where we started.