With avalanche danger low near Snoqualmie Pass, still winds and clear visibility to Mounts Adams and Rainier, today was the perfect day for a climb up Granite Mountain, perhaps for the last responsible time until June for someone with my technical ability and equipment. If not for the peak's popularity, a positive report from the weather center and my familiarity with the trail from two previous hikes, I might have remained giddily rattlepated of Granite's frigid, blank majesty. From the first glimpse of the summit's snowy tonsure from the highway, Granite's reputation for winter hazard seems justified. With five vehicles already at the plowed parking area at 9:15am and boot-packed snow at the trail-head, we knew our scheme was not completely harebrained. Folie à deux is far more likely than folie à plusieurs. We strapped-on microspikes at the entrance and wore them the entire day, through dense forest, across avalanche chutes, into clearings, over ice-covered, months-ago huckleberry fields up to the ridge line where we stopped 1/2 mile from the ranger station. Of the many-membered hiking group (many in Yak-Trax) and the two avalanche-chute climbers (without any foot traction) whom we encountered, only three continued along the ridge to the lookout. At least those three were linked with ropes, but none wore crampons. The colors of the lower trail, the greens and silver of light dust on pine, were vibrant and vivid this morning, an intensity heightened by the sun's two-week hiatus. Eye protection will help with the broad expanse of white on the upper trail. While the lower trail was in great shape, except for a large fallen tree that I did not remember from last September, we cut our own steps and posted through sometimes-deep powder on the foothill. Uncertainty about the stability of the cantilevers along the upper ridge stopped us. The ridge views were reward enough for today. Risking our lives for vanity and for the minimally better views from the top would have been excessive. When we arrived at the parking area at 3:15, we noticed a few more cars, definitely not the full crowd that comes during the summer, despite the generally safe conditions today and the exquisite views of the Cascades in the snow.

The road up and parking lot are plowed with light compact snow. The trail starts out with a light dusting of snow, but after the Talapus-Olallie-Granite junction it steadily increases, and mostly compacted by hikers on the trail. Nearer to the summit, snow is windblown and firm. I climbed with crampons and an ice ax, but I met two on the summit that ascended in boot chains. I felt crampons were more appropriate for the conditions. Granite is a gem in the winter and views of the cascades over the upper ridge are breath taking.

Started out around 10 a.m. and hit the trail upward. Left our crampons at base, because trail and weather seemed like they would not be neccesary. About 2/3 the way up we fell in behind some other hikers and as a group followed the footprints up the peak. Turns out we drifted right of the trail and found ourselves on the right side of a steep bowl. The other groups went left, and we decided to stick with our route because what we thought was the peak was in site. We had GPS and realized we were off trail, but continued. Well...this became the most difficult hike I have ever done. The snow gradually became harder, the route steeper, and we more fatigued. Just kicking in for toe holds began to take quite a while, and having no crampons, our climb was very slow. After struggling to reach the peak, we ended up more or less "stuck" about 500 yards from the top. We couldn't go left or right, and we couldn't safely head downhill over the rocky ground we had just covered. If we could have turned around, we probably would have. We had to gut it out and ended up hacking ice steps up on our hands and knees for several hundred feet with our ice axes. Slow, tedious, HARD work...I was so tired I wanted to throw up. Closer to the peak, the snow got a little softer, and we could continue in a more upright postion! Great at the top. Very scary hike that got out of control for us. Very hard hike with the ice and steep incline. Coming down was a challenge as well, but much quicker. What took us 2.5 hours to accent took us 10 minutes axe sliding down a slope!! 7 hours total for the hike, 5 up, 2 down. "stay on the trail, bring crampons!"

Hiked Granite Mountain Sunday, arrived at 8 am and only 2 cars at trailhead. By the time we headed out there were 20+. Trail is very slick and compacted through the wooded first few miles. Crampons or YakTrax would be very helpful. Once in the open snow was hit and miss. Some parts very icy, while others were light and you sunk like a rock. Overall not a ton of snow, Ice Axe, Crampons, would get the job done. Snow Shoes could also be helpful, just depends on how exposed the snow is. Ski Poles would also be helpful. View from the look out was awesome, windy, cold, but enough time to make some tea enjoy the view and hike back down. Saw 15 people headed up, when we were headed out, very slick on the way down so take your time and plant your feet firmly and should be OK. Happy Hiking. SoleMan