Search trip reports
IMG_5507.JPG

Trip Report    

Day Hike - Granite Mountain Trail

Work on I-90, mosquitoes, and status of the blueberries...

Karen Wallace Karen Wallace
July 28, 2019
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • The construction on I-90 eastbound became an issue for travelers after we drove through for our 8am start time. Exit 38 was closed, and then a few miles past that the left lane was closed, and then a few miles past that the left lane was open, but then the  center lane was closed, so traffic split to the left and the right. Very confusing! All lanes were open again by exit 47, but we noticed while eating lunch at the summit, there was quite the backup down below on I-90. By the time we got back down to our cars, there were even more miles of backed up traffic, but thankfully for us we were heading in the opposite direction.

     

The trail is the trail. It is both strenuous and choppy in spots and it is not exactly beginner material, but the views are incredible, so well worth the effort on a bluebird day like the one we had. Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Stuart and Mount Rainier were all showing their stuff as well as the local peaks such as Kaleetan, Chair, the Tooth, Denny and Silver. We hiked at a conversational pace and made it up in 3 hours and made it back in another 3 hours, so not fast but generally fast enough to keep the mosquitoes off which were in full force especially up at the top near the old platform.

And last but not least, the most important part of this report: the status of the blueberries. We found a few ripe ones around 4400 feet but overall, they are not quite ripe, so it is best to wait just a bit longer and make your trip double-worthwhile. See photo below:

IMG_2254 (1).jpg