Granite Mountain Hike

We hiked up Granite Mountain as part of the training for our upcoming Enchantment Lakes hike. The 3800 foot climb starts out with a steep trail. This steep trail then turns into a ridge scramble. For the ridge scramble we had a choice of climbing through the snow or up the exposed rocks. The snow along the ridge was a little dangerous as our steps could break though its thin layers to the rocks below. We mostly stuck to the rocks which were challenging, but safer than the snow on the ridge. We eventually made it to the summit and hiked up the lookout tower to find it staffed by volunteers who were cooking up breakfast. I had a biscuit which one of the volunteers made in the tower. We then headed back down, but took time to take pictures of some of the mountain flowers that were starting to appear lower down below the snow line.

On the easy part of the trail

Hiking to the lookout tower, I-90 in the distance

Granite Mountain Summit (still a ways to go)

Lookout Tower on Granite Mountain

On the Lookout Tower

Geared Up for the Decent

Beargrass

Lupine and Indian Paintbrush

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June 6, 2004