Granite Mountain - 12.2.2009
rodman's GPS route of our trip to Granite Mtn. 7.25 miles roundtrip, gaining 3749 feet of elevation.
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Take Exit 47 off of I-90 and find the trailhead (1880') on the north side of the freeway.
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Lots of marshmellows where we crossed the avalanche gully at ~3800 feet.
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BarbE and rodman on the traverse toward Granite's SE ridge.
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rodman and BarbE take a break before we start the last 900 feet of elevation gain to the summit.
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BarbE at the rest stop.
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The outlaw and ragman start the last mile to the lookout.
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rodman and BarbE ascending... we've put on our snowshoes to get a better grip on the consolidated snow.
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ragman and BarbE gaining altitude... Rampart Ridge on the left.
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First look at Kaleetan Peak, Chair Peak and Bryant Peak.
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BarbE and rodman start up the steepest part of Granite's SE ridge.
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Getting closer to the lookout.
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A closeup of the lookout.
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BarbE took this shot of ragman crawling towards the summit.
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From Granite's SE ridge BarbE got this shot of Mt. Rainier.
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BarbE's photo of the wind on the SE ridge of Granite Mtn.
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Tuscohatchie Lake from the Granite Mtn summit (5629')... with Kaleetan, Chair, Glacier Peak and Big Snow Mtn.
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A pano shot... Kaleetan on the left to Rampart Ridge on the right.
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A closeup pano... Chair Peak on the left to Chikamin Peak on the right.
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Looking across Pratt Mtn to Mt. Defiance... with The Olympics on the horizon.
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BarbE's shot of the lookout... taken from the Tuscohatchie Lake overlook.
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BarbE on the Granite Mtn summit.
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Sparklers on the deck of the Granite Mtn Lookout.
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Very cold and windy on the summit.
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Be very glad that you don't have to spend the winter on the lookout's deck.
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BarbE being very cautious on the descent... slipping here is not an option.
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We are off of the steep section... and can finally exhale.
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Paying homage to the Shadow People.
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Last look back at our route to the lookout.
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rodman's shot of ragman heading down to start the traverse back to the avalanche gully... less than 3 miles left to get back to the car.
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