West Fork Teanaway Tr1353 - Middle Fork Teanaway Tr1393
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#TeanawayTrail
Overall: 9
Aerobic: 8
Technical: 7
Steepness: 7
Flow: 7
Singletrack: 95%
The Cle Elum Washington West Fork Teanaway Tr1353 / Middle Fork Teanaway Tr1393 are both popular OAB river rides, with some epic loop options as well.
Type
Loop
Length
Avg: 32mi
Ascent
Intense
Elevation Change
TH:2600'
Avg Ascent:8900'
Ascent Incline
9%
Duration
Avg: 7hr
Weather
Forecast
NOAA
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USFS
Trail
Review
The Teanaway river basin and surrounding ridges contain some really nice singletrack terrain, with very popular trails which interconnect at FR113 and Jolly Mountain Tr1307.
Besides OAB rides, the two epic Teanaway loops involve a West or Middle Fork Teanaway trail ascent, returning on Sasse Mt Tr1340/Corral Cr Tr1340.1, or Yellow Hill Tr1222.
A great 20.5mi (6300' ascent) OAB option all by itself, West Fork Teanaway Tr1353 covers some rough terrain and many creek and river crossings.
Besides the steep, switchback terrain of the upper 3mi of the trail, that portion of the ride includes basalt rock trail surface.
These jagged rocks can cause flats, so bring extra tubes and provide enough time to fix several flats.
Besides crossing 7 creeks, West Fork Teanaway Tr1353 crosses the West Fork Teanaway River itself 6 times, so would be dangerous to ride in the Spring or after heavy rains.
Middle Fork Teanaway Tr1393 has more stream crossings and Jolly Cr Tr1355 is a tough climb.
Any Teanaway option involves some steep terrain, so come prepared to put in some effort.
The 21mi Middle Fork Tr1393 to Jolly Cr Tr1355 returning on Yellow Hill Tr1222 is the smaller of the two primary loop options, but this 21mi CCW loop includes 2866' (18% ascent) Jolly Cr Tr1355, which will be too much for most riders to manage without a lot of hike-a-bike.
From Cle Elum lake, Sandstone Cr, Howson Cr Tr1349 or Jolly Mt Tr1307 can be used as connectors along with the lakeside Salmon La Sac road (significant road ascent).
Teanaway CG is the usual trailhead, but about 6mi of road riding can be eliminated by taking FR4305 from SR903 (Salmon La Sac Rd), to FR113. The Indian Camp (Middle Fork on topo map) CG is another TH, better for riding Middle Fork Teanaway Tr1393.
Shuttle riders may consider using SR903/FR4305 to the 3mi (3200' descent) Howson Creek Tr1349 or the 4mi (3200' descent) Jolly Mt Tr1307.
Directions: NW Forest Pass required right at the TH. Go 7mi on Teanaway Rd. Just past the store and over the bridge, turn left on West Fork Teanaway Rd. Go .6mi then bear right onto the Middle Fork. Go left after the cattle gate, into the Teanaway CG. View Larger Map. No Map?.
Loop Directions
two ridges...two forks...two tubes?
- TH: From the Indian Camp/Middle Fork CG, ride FR113 3.5mi to Middle Fork Teanaway Tr1393 and begin the ascent, with creek crossings at 3.8mi, 4mi, 5.4mi, then a river crossing.
- 6.6mi: Cross to the east side of the river, crossing back to the west side at 7.3mi. Ascend the Tumble Creek drainage then cross the creek at 7.9mi. Cross to the east side of the river at 9.7mi, cross a creek, cross to the west side, then back to the east side, at 10.3mi, then cross a creek.
- 11.3mi: After a creek crossing, begin the switchback climb as the trail moves away from the river and ascends the western flank of Jolly Mountain.
- 13.7mi: At the ride summit, go left onto Jolly Mountain Tr1307 and ride to the 14.1mi Sasse Mountain Tr1340 intersection.
- 14.5mi: Sasse Mountain Tr1340 crosses FR4315 several times, then crosses spur road FR124, as the trail winds along the curvy Sasse Ridge.
- 17mi: After a moderate ascent, pass the Little Salmon La Sac Tr1325 intersection on the right, cross Sasse Mountain peak, then pass the Howson Creek Tr1349 intersection on the right at 17.7mi.
- 21.1mi: Just past the Hex Mountain summit, pass the Corral Creek Tr1340.1 intersection on the left. Some would consider this a better return option to FR113 than continuing on Sasse Mountain Tr1340.
- 23.3mi: After a wild switchback downhill, the trail merges with FR118, crossing FR4305 at 23.9mi. Jog left to FR602, to FR113 and head back to the TH.
Trail Index
This Ride
Corral Creek Trail 1340.1, Jolly Creek Trail 1355, Middle Fork Teanaway Trail 1393, Sasse Mountain Trail 1340, West Fork Teanaway Trail 1353, Yellow Hill Trail 1222
Area
Boulder De Roux Trail 1392, Camp Creek Trail 1208, Hawkins Mountain Trail 1228, Howson Creek Trail 1349, Jolly Mountain Spur Trail 1307.1, Jolly Mountain Trail 1307, Koppen Mountain Trail 1225, Little Salmon La Sac Trail 1325, Sandstone Creek Trail, West Fork Teanaway Ridge Trail
Wilderness
Paris Creek Trail 1393.1, Skookum Basin Trail 1393.2
Campgrounds
Cle Elum River Campground, Indian Camp Campground, Red Mountain Campground, Salmon La Sac Campground, Teanaway Campground, Wish Poosh Campground
Trail Rankings
Ranking consistently applied to all of the listed trails.
- Overall Rating: Ride quality and challenge
- Aerobic: Ascent challenge
- Technical Difficulty: Terrain challenge
- Steepness: Average incline
- Flow: Uninterrupted riding
- Elevation Change: Total elevation gain
- Ride Difficulty: Terrain challenge
