Granite Mountain — Monday, Sep. 23, 2019

I checked, re-checked and triple checked the weather forecast. There was rain in the forecast but it wasn't until around 2pm or so. I decided I'd hike Granite Mountain today. 

My last attempt at the lookout fell short June of this year. I ended up hiking into a boulder field when it started to rain and the rain suddenly turned to snow. Visibility turned to zero. I was forced to turn around for my own safety. 

Today, I had partly sunny, a cool 61 degrees at the trail head, (48 degrees at the summit) and rain was in the distant future. I took off up the trail. Note: the sign with "Pratt Lake" on it has been fixed. Turning right at this junction, I scooted up the trail and up the winding, never-ending switchbacks. The trail was muddy and soft in some places so I took note of that for my descent. I ended up slipping in a few places, (which is hard on the knees). 

Once I reached the exposed side of Granite, the storm clouds and the wind started to become more abrasive. I scouted out a few places if I needed to shelter in place but I was more concerned of the ever-growing green blob of rain on my weather app on my phone. It was 11:48am and the rain was slated to blow in at noon now. So much for that 2pm rain shower. I stood stagnant on the trail for 12 minutes waiting and watching the gully that is I-90 and seeing just how bad the rain was going to be. It was decision time. Continue up or turn around. 

Just then another human wandering up the trail. I told her about the incoming storm but she didn't seem too concerned about it. So I pressed on. About a third of a mile later, the sun started to poke out of the clouds. It wanted to rain so badly but it was like Mother Nature was holding back so I could hike this beautiful mountain. I pushed on. My last attempt, back in June, I veered more to the left of the hillside and ended up in a boulder field. This time, for whatever reason, I meandered to the left and stayed on an obvious boot path.

The trail led down into the gully, over some rocks and into the back country. Granite, to my immediate left, towered over me with no obvious direct route to the lookout. All is was, was giant slabs of unclimbable rock. It seemed like I wouldn't make the summit. There was no obvious signs of where the trail was headed. I just had to keep pushing on. The trail twisted and turned and I eventually passed a sign with "toilet" on it. The trail disappeared around a bend and then came brutal, steep (but short) switchbacks to the top of Granite Mountain. I made it. 

The wind blew up the side of the mountain as the clouds swirled around the lookout. The mesh paneling on the staircase rattled and beat itself against the wooden staircase. Smile! You're On Camera!

I took shelter underneath the lookout and ate my Lemon Luna bar. I chugged a can of V8 vegetable juice and ate some pecans. It was nice having the summit block to myself. Although, I was apprehensive about staying at the lookout any longer than I had to with the incoming rain shower that apparently never really made it to Granite Mountain. As I descended, I realized what a mistake I had made back in June going through the boulder field. If people take that up to the lookout, that's some intense hiking.