Granite Mountain, Granite Mountain - Winter — Friday, Dec. 16, 2016

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

Today had some spectacular weather and a fair number of folks on Granite Mtn. About 6 cars in the lot when I arrived and 8 when I left, split evenly between Pratt Lake hikers and Granite Mtn climbers. Very cold, probably 20 degrees F when I started and 28 when I got back (according to my car's thermometer). A few thousand feet higher it was probably colder yet. I have never before seen snow all the way from the TH to the top before--snow was deep and powdery, unconsolidated, which meant a lot of post-holing. After about 1:40 I put on snow shoes and at about 2:00 hrs I emerged from the forest (4,300 ft or so). I don't having climbing show shoes like MSR Ascents, so it was a little awkward and at about 5,000 ft I switched back to just mountaineering boots and rock-hopped along the ridge, but the clouds came in, making the temps feel like they dropped 20 degrees, and I lost sight of some of my return hike landmarks (giant white hillside, easy to go wrong). I turned around after 3:25 (flurries!) and saw a few more people on the way up as I headed down through the woods and avalanche chute. Post-holing was insane going down, with many above my knees, a handful hip deep, and two times above my waist, which is a little unnerving. Conditions are okay but aren't great (in terms of snow solidity), and while I tried to help extend the boot trail, I failed in the end because of the snow crumbling as I plunge-stepped down--falling half the time. The trail through the woods is in fantastic shape. Coming down was a riot of falling and sliding and I felt like I was 40 years younger. Suggestions: Obviously, avoid the Av chute, bear left and depending on snow quality, head straight up near the ridge or rock-hop as much as you can (while avoiding cavities between rocks that will drop you knee-deep or deeper). I split two tall trees above the tree line (one fir, one pine) that stand about 30-40 feet tall and about 20 feet apart. Then headed for a single, prominent dead and weathered tree about the same size. Then I picked out rocks to keep going in the right direction. On the way down, this helped because when you are following the boot track in front of you you don't realize how far off "straight" you can get. I did not summit, but instead turned back at 3:25 around 5,300 feet. With no sun, it was cold and the clouds made me a little concerned about losing the trail on the way down. All in all, a great day in the mountains. Will probably be easier once this deep, soft snow is compacted by gravity and freeze/thaw cycles (Feb? March?) Still, a wonderful day to be working up hill in the mountains.