This is not a report about climbing Mount Stuart. That is one scramble I still have not done. I have scrambled every summit in the Teanaway area and taken photos of Stuart from nearly every angle and in every season. In the spring, I love to scrambled up Hawkins, Iron, Earl, Bean, Bill, Navaho, and Three Brothers. Stuart looks it's best with a coat of snow on a bright sunny spring day. Because of it's 9415' stature it stands out from a long distance. It can even be seen from Mount Pilchuck, well to the west of the Cascade Mountain crest. In the summer, most days are clear and provide for great views. In the fall, the Larch turn golden and provide a colorful foreground for photos of the mountain.
Most Washington state hikers have dozens if not hundreds of photos of Mount Rainier. I too have many of these shots. I may be one of the few hikers with more photos of Mount Stuart than Rainier. I lived in this state for 24 years before I ever laid eyes on the mountain. When I first ventured up the Teanaway valley I hiked up to Iron Peak via Beverly Creek. As you cross the creek and begin to rise up the slopes of Iron a number of peaks come into view. Bill and Teanaway Peaks sit to the north. To the east, Bean and Volcanic Neck loom large. Part way from the creek to the ridge top Stuart comes into view. It is framed between Teanaway on the west and Bill on the east. The jagged ridges of Stuart are striking. As you climb higher the views keep getting better. At the top of Iron, Stuart dominates the skyline. Ingalls Pass is another spot with terrific views of Stuart. In the spring you will be trudging up to the pass in snow. In the fall you may again have snow but now there are Larch. The best front row seats are at Longs Pass, Teanaway Peak, and Bill Peak. Stuart sits right across the valley.
A fun exercise is to see how many summits look over to Stuart. I have photos from Davis Peak to the west, The Cradle to the northwest, and the Lake Caroline trail to the north. Even Silver Peak, south of Snoqualmie Pass, has a nice view. What I have done is to include my favorite Mount Stuart photos and posted them with this story. Click on the thumbnails to get larger pictures.
Over Beverly Pass |
From Teanaway Peak |
Summer Day |
From Davis Peak |
Early Spring |
From Iron Peak |
From Bill Peak |
Bill S on Bill Peak |
Bill and Jim on Iron |
Kathleen on Earl |
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