Trip Report
Day hike - Granite Creek Trail to Granite Lakes
9 of us enjoyed beautiful, brisk weather and half an hour at Granite Lakes. I'd strongly recommend traction devices and poles for every hiker in the coming weeks, as the freeze-thaw cycle has laid down some thick, sheer ice in places. Streams are flowing low with recent dry weather; we had no trouble getting across the rocks and side-stepped logs with traction devices.
Courtenay Schurman
- Tue, Jan 21, 2025
- Granite Creek Trail
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Snow and ice on road
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Black ice in two spots on the Middle Fork where drainage crosses the road. Be alert and cautious especially if cold temperatures continue. The bridge is passable if you stick to leafy debris on the sides. The first thick ice is near the Falls - stay right to proceed through the brush. And where you start getting continuous snow is a great place to put on traction devices.
The stream crossings I was concerned about were fine - again, the dry weather has made for less flow so one hiker in our party who turned around a few weeks ago commented about how much better the conditions were today. To get to the lake, we used two logs, one that had a thin layer of snow and was fine with spikes; the other was 3-4 branches laid close together; we all side-stepped across with spikes on.
Portapotties remain closed and have probably been closed since the November fire; signs on the doors steer you to other portapotties down the street, or you can find a favorite tree.
All 9 participants used trekking poles, gaiters, and traction devices on a lovely chilly hike to Granite Lakes. Most of the downed debris on the trail from previous windstorms has been cleared, and where it's not, trails go easily around larger logs. The biggest hazard is not so much the stream crossings, but rather ice on the trail where dry weather, cold temperatures, and sun have meant running water during the day freezing and thawing repeatedly at night, laying down some thick ice.
We left the cars at 8:25 a.m. and reached the lake by 11:15. After 35 minutes for photos and lunch, we headed back (and only saw one other person all day) reaching the parking lot by 2:20. The ice formations in the streams and at the falls are SUPER beautiful.
We saw some interesting fungi, heard golden-crowned kinglets, black-capped and chestnut-backed chickadees, a brown creeper (I think), several gray jays, and a varied thrush.
I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE everyone trying this hike over the next few weeks to take poles and traction devices. Forewarned is forearmed. Better to have and not need than to want assistance and not have it.