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Between the Cle Elem and the Teanaway are two high elevation mountains. Jolly Mountain is the site of a former lookout station while Humerus Hill is an unofficial name for a rocky summit that has a impressive north face slope. As with many of the ridges in this area, a trail with excellent views skirts both summits making them easy targets for hikers and peakbaggers.

Access:

Distance: One way 3 miles (4.5 with Humerus)
Summit Elevations: 6,443 & 5,940 feet
Elevation Gain: One way gain of 1,600 feet (+ extra 1500 for Humerous)
Access: Good Gravel, a little bumpy near end

From the entering Roslyn sign, you need to continue 15.5 miles up SR 903. Turn right. across from a campground just past the Cooper River bridge that goes over the Cle Elum River. The paved road quickly becomes gravel after a quarry. Follow the good gravel road #4315 for 5.9 miles to a gate and lots of parking on the sides. This is likely the end of the road in the future as the last half mile of non abandoned road to the trail is a maintenance nightmare.

Route:

Walk up the last 1/2 mile of road to the trailhead on the left side. Signs indicate this trail is open to nearly every user group. Follow the trail which soon goes back onto the old logging road. The old road is slowly recovering and will someday be just a trail. Eventually you hit the end of the logging and are on a nice trail which has been improved with better switchbacks for the motorcycle crowd. A few trails will merge onto yours. One from the left comes up from Cayuse Campground at the valley bottom #1307, a route if you are wanting some real exercise adding 2,300 feet of gain to Jolly Mountain. A trail from the right comes up the West Fork Teanaway River. When the Jolly Mountain Trail reaches the north ridge of the peak, you also run into the Jolly Creek Trail going left. Stay on the ridge, continuing south to the summit. Just below the summit, your trail continues south for those wanting more. It drops down following the ridge south and east for 1.5 miles to a peak known as Humerus Hill. Note you will loose 1,000 feet and climb over 500. The trail skirts about 100 feet below the summit of Humerus Hill which is an easy scramble up. If you had the transportation, you could continue on many miles passing Elbow Mountain and Yellow Hill to its trailhead.

Washington Hiking

Winter:

Snowshoers use the #1307 trail up Salmon La Sac Creek to attempt Jolly Mountain. Start from the Salmon La Sac Picnic Area Sno-Park & go behind the Cayuse Horse Camp facilities to find the trail. Skiers and snowmobilers often ski up road 4315 to reach the high ridges around Jolly Mountain.

On the trail

On the trail

Known as "Mount Skookum" as well as "The Louvre"

Large rock shelter at the summit

Humerus Hill from the lower south slopes of Jolly Mountain

Yellow Hill on left with Elbow Peak on the right

Humerus Hill

Humerus Hill and trail

Jolly Mountain from Humerus Hill

From the Directory of National Forests in Washington

Looking toward "Mount Skookum"/"The Louvre" from Humerus Hill

Jolly Mountain

Former Lookouts

North 1934

Southeast 1934

Year 1921

Lookout History:

In 1916, Jolly Mountain was a camp used for fire.
In 1921 a cupola cabin was built.
In 1934, panoramic photos of views were taken just 4 feet above ground, no hint of any structure at the time (August 17).
In 1936 an L-4 cab was built.
In 1968, the cab was destroyed.

Southwest 1934

1936 recreation map

Labeled as September 23, 1936 although this was the year the L-4 cab was said to be built.

August 23, 1938, Pio

August 23, 1938, Pio, Margaret and Agnes

1938ish

1956

Agnes and Margaret, August 23, 1938

1956 inside

August 23, 1938, Pio and Margaret