We needed a shorter outing today. So we turned to one of my off-season favorites–Mount Teneriffe. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) had installed a new parking lot over the Fourth of July. So it was exciting to check out the new trail.
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Mount Teneriffe at a Glance
Access: Mount Teneriffe Trailhead
Round Trip: 6.4 miles
Elevation Range: 840′-4788′
Gear: microspikes, snowshoes
GPS: available
Dog-Friendly: yes
Mount Teneriffe Trail
The gate opened at a quarter after 7. So we pulled into the brand-new lot and started hiking afterward. The new connector trail took off a great chunk of the road walk. We walked the old roadway many times in the past.
The path was snow-free mostly. There was a dusting of powder by a couple of the switchbacks below Teneriffe Falls. I took a few minutes to marvel at the water feature, and then we continued.
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Steep Southeast Ridge
It began to rain and snow at a quarter after 8. Then it continued for another hour before stopping. Luckily, the dense forest provided great cover. So it kept us out of most of the wetness.
The trail snaked its way up the steep slopes. Soon, there was more snow. I used microspikes on the ridge for traction. So we could go through the steep parts more quickly. But with every bit of elevation was more fresh powder. We could still move comfortably without sinking.
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Making the Final Stretch
I put on snowshoes at the 4400′ clearing. Then we stepped right into fresh snow. So the pup and I plowed through knee-high powder following the summer trail. At the same time, we bypassed the outcrops looming above. It began to snow right then.
Breaking trail was cumbersome. But glad we only had to do that in the final 250′. Sadly, the sky never cleared up in the late morning, like in the forecast. The clouds completely socked in the top. So our only views were the line of trees below the summit.
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Mount Teneriffe Summit
There was a light snowfall during our half-hour stay. Then the wind picked up later. Another hiker came up after us. But we only chatted a bit before he left the summit. Then the pup and I left shortly afterward.
Later we met a group of six back at the clearing. They carefully made their way up the steep part of the ridge also. Then we met two solo hikers down on the ridge. A few groups enjoyed their time by the waterfall.
See more trip photos here.
