a new "Bear Grass Trail", because we needed one more

[Chip Down]

Funny that on Larch Mountain, itself an indistinct name, we now have another Bear Grass Trail.

I was wandering the meadows of Larch Mountain when I encountered a trail. That wasn't shocking; there's an abundance of unofficial user trails/roads in the area. But this was really crisp, as if deliberately built. I followed it back towards the main Larch meadow, which it skirted, where I remembered a faint user trail in past years. Continued to a junction with the trail up to Larch Mountain summit. Although many of my visits here involved snow (and thus I questioned my understanding of the trail network), at this point I was clearly on a official constructed trail. Although signed as multi-user, it had the look of a bike trail. I just happened to have a bike with me, so that worked out great.

I dropped down the trail, knowing it had to meet a known road, most likely at the Larch Mtn TH. It did. Along the way it became even more evident that it was designed with bikes in mind.

At the bottom, I turned left and followed a closed/abandoned road I've wondered about. It was pleasant. Nothing great, but a nice way to kill some time on a sunny warm saturday. It dead-ended at a rocky slope, but somebody has been working on a continuation. I wish I hadn't bothered. It was a soppy thorny mess, and faded out. I might try again in a year or two and see if it's been improved.

Back at Larch Mtn TH, I followed roads/trails to connect with Tarbell, and ascended. Just past the Tarbell Tabell clearing, I saw a trail branch to the right. Again, I wasn't positive it was new, because so many of my trips here have been in snow, but I ascended and ended up back at the meadows.

Advice for hikers: From the Grouse-to Larch hike, it's a pleasant scenic stroll north through the beargrass meadows. At the abrupt plunge, it's only worth continuing if you're interested in a Tarbell loop. Going the other way, towards Larch Mtn TH, you'll eventually enter an old clearcut with swooping bermed switchbacks. Not a great place for hiking, and not much of interest at the bottom, except maybe the dead-end road I mentioned above.

[Don Nelsen]

Too bad about that old picnic table. Here it is in better days. It gets my vote for the most scenic picnic table location - at least the best I've ever seen. This was in 2018: It was just starting to collapse then.

Here's another from Feb. of '07:

Those beargrass meadows used to be more challenging before so many folks started hiking up there and mountain biking got so much more popular. It was really hard to see where the tread was: April '07:

Thanks for the TR and pics!

dn

[Chip Down]

I was hoping to find a pic of the tabell in deep snow, but no luck.
What does that sign say?
I think I see FLINSTONE PICNIC AREA and something about packing out your something.

So Don, was there a named trail there before? I'm not sure if Bear Grass is entirely new, or just rehabilitated.

[Don Nelsen]

The sign says: "FLINTSTONE PICNIC AREA PLEASE PACK OUT YOUR GARBAGE". The A's in "GARBAGE" have flat tops like the "A" in "PACK" above. I don't know if the sign is still there.

I've been there in deep snow but I don't have a photo of the "Tabell" in deep snow.

The first time I was up there was about twenty years ago and there were trails across the two meadows NNE of the summit. I think the big area WNW of the summit had yet to be clearcut so that's all new.

dn

[miah66]

This new "bear grass trail" was built by Evergreen Mountain Bike Association. Most of the trails in the area are maintained by them as well. I ride up there frequently.