Started this hike around 7:00am, the lot was about half full and I didn’t have trouble finding a spot. I quickly realized this hike is deserving of its “hard” rating within the first 1.5 miles! Expect to gain a considerable amount of elevation in a short distance, I would suggest pacing yourself and packing plenty of water.
Around mile 2 or so, the hike opens up out of the tree coverage and you’ll find yourself hiking through terrain that I would describe as alpine meadows. It’s beautiful, but fully exposed to the sun, and I was glad I began this hike earlier in the day rather than later as the heat rose.
A little over mile 2, you will catch your first glimpses of the Granite Mountain fire lookout station. I found this to be a good motivator to keep pushing, but know that you still have a good chunk of climbing coming your way. As you get closer to the fire station, it becomes tempting to want to take one of the smaller side trails off of the main artery to make more of a straight line towards the station. Unless you’re looking for a rock scramble, I’d suggest sticking to the main trail the whole way up. The path will carve nicely around the peak and up towards the station eventually.
The station interior was closed to visitors, but I enjoyed a quick lunch in the shade under the structure and took in some amazing views of Rainier in the distance. I didn’t have the space to myself for very long, within 10 minutes the area around the station had quickly become crowded with several other parties. I took my exit as more people arrived. The descent is steep on the way down and I was glad I brought my poles to alleviate some of the strain on my knees. The whole round trip took me between 4-5 hours to complete.
My opinion: Granite Mountain is a challenging hike with a very neat fire lookout reward to match your effort. Expect to sweat, pack enough water (you won’t find water sources to replenish on this hike), and expect rocks, rocks, and more rocks on this aptly named excursion. I would highly suggest arriving early to beat the summer heat, and to enjoy a few moments of solitude at the station before the many other groups start pouring in.
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