Granite Peak Southwest Ridge - 3rd Time's the Charm!
Granite Peak Southwest Ridge - 3rd Time's the Charm! 5.8 miles/2.7k gain to base of peak 2.2 miles/3.4k gain on the actual peak To put it mildly, this mountain has been elusive. My first attempt saw me high on the peak, reaching the top of a gendarme, only to see a thunderstorm quickly bearing down. Knowing how much fun mountain thunderstorms are (not), I turned back without hesitation. The second try was more of a long shot - the weather was wet and socked in, and the mountain had some early snow. No thanks. I'd often wondered if I wanted to bother with a third try on Granite, but the promise of a long bike downhill sealed the deal (you can hike too, but it's less fun...) By 7 am on July 4th, I was driving toward Eska Falls. Depending on what sort of vehicle you have, you may find yourself parking well before the real Eska trail begins. My Corolla isn't much of an offroader, so I always park in a small gravel lot before the pavement ends. The unpa