Information about this hike provided in partnership with
Mountaineers Books.
Copyright © Dan A. Nelson/The Mountaineers Books Granite Mountain
Featured In:
Day Hiking: Snoqualmie Region,
by Dan A. Nelson and Alan L. Bauer.
A portion of all book sales from the links above benefits WTA and helps protect and maintain our trails. The trail starts out climbing. You'll hike away from the trailhead parking area through a lush old forest and gain a solid 800 feet in the first mile. At 1 mile the trail forks. Turn right off this relatively flat trail for some serious climbing (to Pratt Lake goes left). In the next 0.5 mile the switchbacks are easy, if a bit steeper. But as you near 2 miles the switchbacks get tighter, the trail gets steeper, and the breathing gets more difficult. At 4000 feet elevation you'll get a breather as the trail angles across a tricky avalanche chute. Caution: Early in the year the upper mountain is covered in snow and ice, and the upper slopes are VERY avalanche prone. If you're here any time before mid-June (most years), pause before crossing the chute and look up the gully. If there is still snow above you, be extremely careful--slides can happen at any time. Once across, the trail starts climbing again. If you time your trek just right, you'll find huckleberries alongside the trail all the way to the ridge top. You'll also break out of the trees and start exploring wide, steeply slanted meadows. Bulbous beargrass fills these meadows in early summer, and when those white blooms disappear, lupine and paintbrush color the slopes red and blue. At 5200 feet you'll crest the summit ridge, getting a brief reprieve from the ruthless climbing as you cross a meadow. You still have another 0.5 mile or so to cover along the ridge crest and then up the summit crown, but the hardest work is behind you. Get to the top and enjoy the 360-degree views from the lookout--on some weekends, volunteers open it up to visitors.
Driving Directions:
From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 47 (Asahel Curtis/Denny Creek). Turn north over the freeway, turn left at the T, and drive to the nearby Pratt Lake-Granite Mountain parking area. Recent Trip Reports
Hiked here recently?
Submit a trip report!
There are
475
trip reports for this hike.
See all trip reports for this hike.
Granite Mountain
— Jan 16, 2012
— taninecz
Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail | Avalanche danger
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
Lost large black OR outer mitt! Probably in parking lot.
lots of snow on the trail. peak was pretty socked...
Lost large black OR outer mitt! Probably in parking lot.
lots of snow on the trail. peak was pretty socked in and weather turned around 2:00. beautiful day, but sketchy looking snowfields above the chutes. Day hike
Issues:
Avalanche danger
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
Arrived the Trailhead 1000 am
weather was warmer. 45 +- degrees. no precip
no snow at trail head parking lot
no...
Arrived the Trailhead 1000 am
weather was warmer. 45 +- degrees. no precip no snow at trail head parking lot no snow until after 3300 feet. snow at 4000 feet was slushy used crampons thru first chute to rock ledge could view Mt Rainier after getting out of trees could also see Twin Brothers Day hike
Issues:
Water on trail | Snow on trail | No water source
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
Flickr: http://bit.ly/granite-mountain-viii
Granite Mountain has been my opening hike of the year two years in a row. Got to the trailhead...
Flickr: http://bit.ly/granite-mountain-viii
Granite Mountain has been my opening hike of the year two years in a row. Got to the trailhead a little before 9 AM with three other vehicles in the lot. As I walked past the two people in one of the vehicles, the woman asked if I were so and so. It turned out she had contacted me last summer to get info on my hike to Eightmile Mountain. Small world! Judging from the fresh foot tracks in the snow, there was one other person ahead of me, thought I never caught up. It started to get breezy at the Alpine Lakes Wilderness sign and all the way to the bottom of the winter route snow chute, then it ceased. I was able to follow the snowshoe tracks up the chute without using my snowshoes, just spikes worked fine. The minute I got out of the tree line that's when the strong wind hit. It went from bearable to uncomfortable as it got stronger with no signs of easing. As the slope got steeper and icier, I switched to ice ax. Just as I was switching gears, I noticed a man coming around the ridge and was doing the same thing. After a brief exchange I found out he had just come from Granite O'Tusk, a nearby peak northwest of Granite Mountain. Snowshoes would have worked great at this point since I didn't bring crampons, but I managed to get on the southwest ridge in just spikes. By that point, the slope had eased up a bit and I changed my mind about putting on the snowshoes. At times I sought refuge behind tree stumps and snow-covered, frozen granite rocks to get out of the wind for a few. By the time the fire lookout was in view, I moved to the west side of the ridge to dodge the wind and headed for the direction of the tower. Thanks to the trees and mounds of snow at the top, I was able to stay out of the wind just long enough to snap some photos. It didn't look like anyone else had been at the lookout tower today, one lonely summit. The wind was not going to stop any time soon, so I started making my way down the mountain in snowshoes quickly and carefully. "This is insane!", I thought to myself over and over. The wind is now blowing stronger than it did on my way up! A few times it nearly blew me over, but I managed to get back down to the snow chute in one piece. I didn't run into anyone else on the way down, and I'm not sure what happened to the couple I talked to at the trailhead who had planned on going to the tower. A few more cars at the lot when I got back. I supposed everyone else took the Pratt Lake/Talapus Lake trail instead. It felt awesome to have been the only person on Granite Mountain first day of the year. Day hike
Issues:
Snow on trail | Avalanche danger
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
I have mixed feelings about the route that was forged after the most recent snow on Granite Mountain. About halfway...
I have mixed feelings about the route that was forged after the most recent snow on Granite Mountain. About halfway up the trail was abandoned for a steep direct ascent up a large avalanche chute. I have hiked this trail in the snow before, and it followed the normal summer route just fine, but I guess nobody wants to make their own tracks for 2 miles in fresh powder.
By the tracks, I gathered that at least 10-20 others had chosen this route, and so up we went, kicking in steps where they weren't already. Just when it felt like it couldn't possibly get steeper, it did, and around 500 ft below summit the path moved to the southwestern ridge to avoid the near-vertical ascent. This helped as the ridge is riddled with emerging talus, some of the only relief from the extreme exposure, but hindered as the wind has been hammering the melting snow, creating hard ice that is nearly impossible to kick steps into. Amir and I agreed to go as slowly as safety required, and the final 500ft took us nearly 45 minutes to ascend. Well worth it though, the skies were crystal clear , and the sun was great company. After a change of socks and cocktails we geared back up, prepared for a very slow descent. It's hard to believe how much steeper it seemed on the way down. After carefully working through the talus I tested with a little glisade, and before long we were cruising. I have never enjoyed a descent as much as I did this one. I only wish I had some skis and a canopy. We reached the parking lot just as darkness fell, exhausted and satisfied. 3 1/2 hours up, 2 hours down. Day hike
Expand report text
Hide report text
Read full report
with photos
Nice clear, calm day. Apparently snowshoes are no good for hiking up mountains covered in an icy crust. All I...
Nice clear, calm day. Apparently snowshoes are no good for hiking up mountains covered in an icy crust. All I know is I am almost always content with my crampons and never understood why most people use snowshoes. I hope he's ok, he had to call the search and rescue teams, I had to leave him, I was on the ridge for about an hour with him and my dog had started shivering in the first 10 minutes, and was leaving trails of blood from cutting her feet on the ice. Made me realize I need to start carrying something for her too (the dog) in case I'm ever in a survival situation, to keep her warm.I've always had myself covered, but just thought dogs were able to keep warm, I mean, some sleep outside in the winter...
Moral of the story, use crampons, and keep something to keep your dog warm incase you get stuck. also noteworthy, the winter trail now follows a chiure, so you can travel straight up, faster, but harder. I did this a few weeks afo and the trail still followed the summer route. not anymore.. |
Granite Mountain - near the top of the trail to the old fire lookout. Photo by Karen.
Map it
|
Document Actions
- Email this page
- Print this
- Share
Forgot your
New user?
