Greenleaf Slide via Two Chiefs Trail east
Posted: December 28th, 2019, 8:30 pm
If I said I had to discreetly sneak in to Two Chiefs Trail (near Table Mountain), most readers would think I approached via North Bonneville. Nope, I went looking for the east end of the trail. Discovered it's also hard to access legally. It would be really easy to walk right through, very little risk of an unpleasant encounter. Still, I went looking for an alternative. Weighed options, picked an unmapped ungated unsigned road, parked, walked up. Ended soon, but put me on a promising ridge, which I ascended west of Crescent Lake. Routefinding was fun; things matched my map, and I always knew where I was.
I reached the point where my ridge met Two Chiefs Trail. Just to be sure, I zoomed my map out and looked around. Oh! It was a spur from Two Chiefs. Okay, I poked around anyway, because it was so beautiful, then moved on to Two Chiefs.
Suffered a lot of elevation loss on an ugly road on my way to Two Chiefs, and then Two Chiefs was ugly too. I don't recommend this trail at all. There are prettier utility roads around here!
It was obvious when I reached the terminus of Greenleaf Slide. It was so abrupt, and with the creek running out from the snout, it resembled a glacier terminus. I started up, and the gurgling creek below reminded me of a glacier again. I ascended to the set of waterfalls that tumble down a cliff in the middle of the slide, which just about put me where I'd been before (from above), so cut over to Greenleaf Creek, which I followed down to Two Chiefs.
On the way back down, I left the ugly road/trail in search of better scenery. It was loads of fun. With sunset approaching, I hustled back to my car on a variety of roads and shwacky connectors.
Man, these days go fast. Google Maps says Two Chiefs east of Greenleaf Creek is just 1.8 miles, but I spent all day on it. I must be a really bad hiker.
I reached the point where my ridge met Two Chiefs Trail. Just to be sure, I zoomed my map out and looked around. Oh! It was a spur from Two Chiefs. Okay, I poked around anyway, because it was so beautiful, then moved on to Two Chiefs.
Suffered a lot of elevation loss on an ugly road on my way to Two Chiefs, and then Two Chiefs was ugly too. I don't recommend this trail at all. There are prettier utility roads around here!
It was obvious when I reached the terminus of Greenleaf Slide. It was so abrupt, and with the creek running out from the snout, it resembled a glacier terminus. I started up, and the gurgling creek below reminded me of a glacier again. I ascended to the set of waterfalls that tumble down a cliff in the middle of the slide, which just about put me where I'd been before (from above), so cut over to Greenleaf Creek, which I followed down to Two Chiefs.
On the way back down, I left the ugly road/trail in search of better scenery. It was loads of fun. With sunset approaching, I hustled back to my car on a variety of roads and shwacky connectors.
Man, these days go fast. Google Maps says Two Chiefs east of Greenleaf Creek is just 1.8 miles, but I spent all day on it. I must be a really bad hiker.