I was in SEA to drop-off family at the airport, so Lucie and I decided to head out to Granite Mountain for a late afternoon hike. This was our 3rd peak in the series.
We started the hike at 2:40pm and saw only a few cars in the parking lot. I had forgotten that the Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass are needed, so I wrote a note that I indeed do own the ABP pass but forgot it. Worked out for a Monday afternoon; no ticket. 🙂
Nice, shaded first few miles, then I started taking off layers once we got to the exposed area. A little smokey. No wind. Beautiful fall colors popping amidst the gray granite. Lowland blueberries all along the upper part of the trail. We didn't pick any, but we saw others collecting.
We ran into 3 small groups, one ex-park ranger at the summit and that was it. We were the last ones down the mountain, reaching the parking lot at 7:41pm, right about the time it was getting dark.
The lookout, views (albeit smokey), and time in the wilderness are always highlights for me on this one. It's also amazing how the hike looks completely different in June (snow covered), mid-July (snow free) and September (fall has already dusted the hills). A preview of Autumn Granite.
Total Distance: 7.8 miles
Total Time: 4:55 (15 minutes at the top)
Elevation Gain: 3,714 ft.
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