This is a very popular hike. Several years ago I went up in the summer and the trail was very crowded. As an extra bonus I picked up nineteen "souvenir" mosquito bites.
Two weeks ago, when we did the Annette Lake/Silver Peak hike, I swung by the Granite Mt trail head and there were already two cars in the parking lot shortly after daybreak.
We started about a half hour before daylight and were the only car in the parking lot. The trail is wide and well worn, I probably could have followed it without my headlamp. The boys had fun running around in the dark.
I remembered this as a rocking trail but, after climbing the rocks to Silver Peak, it didn't seam rocking at all. The little bit of snow on the trail at the top wasn't any problem, it had frozen steps covered with dirt and sand.
No bugs this time and only ran into people on the way down. We had the peak to ourselves. Sly was a good boy.
A little over a half mile from the trail head the trail makes left turn at the edge of an avalanche chute. Until a few years ago, there wasn't any view because of all the vine maple. It appears a large avalanche/rock slide came down, took out several trees, beat down the maples and opened a view to a waterfall.
Above the tree line
Some of the trail is a gulley from wear and erosion.
At almost 4,900 feet you hit a small bowl with a tarn.
Blue checking out the ice.
Posing in the morning sun.
At 5,100 feet , you get a view of the lookout.
The lookout is closed up for the winter. Looks like solar panels on the side.
Looking north
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