Granite Mountain, Granite Mountain - Winter — Monday, Jan. 22, 2001

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

As I don't need a checkup this week I went up Granite with my Dentist so I would remember what pain was all about. It was snow all the way from the parking lot but not icy on the trail. The main gully had minimal snowpack and we punched up it without any problem. Exiting to the ridge from the gully had some hard snow and cautioon is advised. Once on the ridge it is intermitant snow, ice and rock and the going was a bit slow but no major problem. Finally a couple of hundred feet below the summit it was all fairly easy snow travel. On the summit it was blowing quite a bit and we did not tarry long. The usual cornices have not built up yet. On the way down we elected to use crampons although they were balling up quite a bit. Still it would be a most uncomfortable descent without them. Of course the minute it snows, everything I have reported goes out the window. At this writing the avalanche hazard I would estimate as minimal.