Granite Mountain, Granite Mountain - Winter — Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

Beautiful sunrise in the morning so I decided to go for a hike while the weather was nice. I went out I-90 to exit 47 and parked with about twenty other cars. It has been a month since I was last out here and there was less snow in the parking lot but more on the trail. No snow on the branches so one did not have to duck under them. There were no new down trees up to the cutoff to Granite. I stopped to check out how much snow has avalanched off at the first wide switchback. It looked to be about 10-15 ft. deep. Nice to know that the first load has come off. I expect at least one more big one will come down before the year is out. A guy with his dog passed me by then a couple of guys.I passed them while they were talking at the junction to Granite. They passed me again on the way up. Just above where the second set of switchbacks enters the woods I spotted a couple of skiers going up. Here I passed one of the two guys and continued up. I think the two guys cut over to the avalanche chute from here as I did not see them again. Near where the trail crosses the chute I took a break to take some pictures. From here I spotted four people in the chute. It looked like two going down and two up. I continued up as the snow became softer and the packed steps fewer. I wanted to gain tree line to take more pics which I did. I put my pack by the last tree while I took some shots. I spotted the guy with the dog on the ridge. A couple of more skiers came up while others were going down. I was hopeful of glissading down but the snow was too soft. I wished I had snowshoes now. I tried going straight down but it was too tiring. So, I cut over to the trail until I got into the woods where I knew the snow would not be as deep. From just west of where the first set of switchbacks near the chute I was able to go straight down. I did not get one single butt slide,however it was a great work-out for the thighs. I will have to go back on a colder day or earlier in the morning. Still, it was a great day in the woods. Trail is in good shape.