Granite Mountain

What a spectacular day to be on Granite! The winds were howling, but skies were clear and the views of Rainier were fabulous. The trail was a little wet near the trailhead but was then dry until we encountered snow about 1/2 mile after emerging from the woods. Later, there was a clear choice between following the winter trail up the ridge and over the boulders or descending a bit and following the summer trail up around the other side. We opted for the summer trail but eventually gave up about 300 vertical feet short of the summit. The snow was very sloppy and deep, and we kept postholing, often into over-the-boot water. Waterproof boots, gaiters, and poles with snow baskets are necessities; snowshoes would be very helpful. We talked to others who tried the ridge route, and they ran into the same issues. But we could see someone up at the lookout tower, so at least one person had success today.