Topo of the short ~3/4 mile bushwack from the BM4607 topo marking on Tassajara Road to the Black Butte summit. Chews Ridge and Black Butte are my 11th and 12th peaks from the 15 Ventana Peaks list.

Parked at the hightpoint of Tassajara Road for the quick trip up to the Chews Ridge Lookout. There was a bit of patchy snow on the north side of the ridge.

Gate blocking the forest road heading north along the ridgetop from Tassajara Road. The lookout is about a third of a mile north of the road.
Last comment 01/30/2006.

Continuing through the Chews Ridge pines.

Lookout on Chews Ridge. The hatch at the top of the stairs was unlocked, granting access to the platform.

Ventana Cone (left) Ventana Double Cone (center) and Uncle Sam (right) from the Chews Ridge Lookout
Last comment 02/02/2006.

270 degree panorama from the Chews Ridge Lookout tower

Continued down Tassajara Road to BM4607 where there was enough space to park. I didn't have an enormous amount of daylight left, but there was only about 3/4 of a mile to cover to the summit.

The first quarter mile was an easy stroll along an old firebreak/forest road. This road (and its possible origins) are discussed in this VWA forum thread.