Granite Mountain, Granite Mountain - Winter — Saturday, Mar. 2, 2002

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

We were expecting a beautiful day so we just had to get out. Left Seattle around l0 o'clock. We decided to go toward Snoqualmie since it was late morning. We took snowshoes just in case we went to Ollalie or Commonwealth Basin. We pulled off I-90 at exit 47 and walked up Pratt Lake trail. Just before the first stream crossing after the Granite Mt. trail junction we left the trail and headed up the ridge. Maybe we will go just above treeline and wander around.We took a short break near the stream about the 3600' level. The snow was firm and the temp. was mild in here. As we broke treeline we could feel the sun, still snow was firm with maybe an inch of soft on top. Fleet-foot kicked in steps and we continued up. Some where around the 4800' level we took a break by a tree. Fleetfoot dug a platform for us to sit on. We decided to go lighter from here so we only took one pack. We had spotted a couple going up the ridge from Ollalie Lake to Granite so we headed over that way. The area to our right seemed way too steep and the wall in front of us looked as though the snow could be icy underneath. There were a couple of places where we could just get small toeholds. At this point I am wishing that we had brought an ice axe instead of hiking poles.We finally got into the other couples steps and by this time I think we had decided to go to the top. Legs were becoming like rubber bands at this point but it was so clear and warm out that we just had to see the view form the top. Mt.Rainier, Mt.Adams, the Olympics,Mt. Baker,Glacier Peak and everthing else. WOW! Five other people and three dogs. There had been about 30 cars in the lot. I was a little frightened at glissading down but thought one could build up snow between the legs to stop. Turns out the conditions were great. Three long slides put us back to my pack and the snowshoes we did not need. If we were not being cautious at first we could have glissaded from the top to the pack in one run .As it was it only took a few minutes to get down what took an hour and a half to hike up.Several more runs and we were in the trees .Fleefoot had brought along a plastic sled from REI that he used after we picked up the packs. Boy do you fly on that thing. He said that you can steer them by leaning left or right. We were able to slide a few more shorter runs in the woods before hooking up with the main trail. Back to the car before 5 o'clock and to Seattle before sunset. Great day!