Beware the pothole as you turn into Granite parking lot. Latrines are open and stocked (or were this morning) and a Northwest Forest Pass is required.
I led seven other lovely Mountaineers ladies, CHS alums, up Granite Mountain starting at 7:10 a.m. and returning to the cars by 2. We spent 30 minutes at the summit enjoying fierce winds and lovely scenery. Fall colors are GREAT right now, and there are plenty of people hiking mid-week so solo hikers can feel comfortable that there will be others on the trail. The ONLY running water is on the lower approach trail (first mile), none up high. Plan your water accordingly. I drank 100 ounces.
We enjoyed 16 bird species including a pair of red-winged hawks, some evening grosbeaks, a whole flock of pine siskens, and a sooty growse among them.
With government shut down in effect I wasn't quite sure what to expect at the trailhead and on the route, but I've never seen this trail so clean. Bravo, folks, for keeping this trail pristine. Especially with the number of dogs (15?) I kept looking for poop bags. There are a disturbing number of social trails in the meadows, however; WTA might want to decommission some to give the beautiful huckleberries and pikas a chance at regeneration.
A lovely day; great to get ABOVE the inversion.
#HikeTheState
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