Trip Report
Day Hike - Rattlesnake Mountain, Grand Prospect plus
High winds turned us back about .5 miles east of Grand Prospect. Lots of blow downs added to the decision not to chance fate. Winds picked up as we descended - wise decision.
Courtenay Schurman
- Tue, Jan 27, 2026
- Day Hike - Rattlesnake Mountain, East Peak
- Rattlesnake Mountain (West)
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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The trail to Stan's Overlook and Grand Prospect is in decent shape, just a few blow downs. It's a different story east of Grand Prospect where logging has taken out a big chunk of trees, leaving blowdowns across the trail including an "upside down" tree spear (the leaning one in the photo, which gets bigger going UP, broke off from the snapped trunk toward the right of the photo.)
that could have impaled a hiker. As the winds picked up we decided to bail onto the summit road and regain the trail where we'd have fewer blow downs to contend with.
Discover Pass needed. Restrooms weren't too bad this time; the women's toilet has a chip in the cover leaving access for flies (none this time of year, though). TP available. Trash on the trail - I picked up discarded tissues and dog bags but left the tiny hard-boiled egg shell fragments at Grand Prospect. There is some hard crusty snow on the trail at Grand Prospect and beyond, but only in patches and not enough to merit spikes or traction, as it disappears in the woods.
9 of us met at 7:30 for a 7:43 start. Stunningly beautiful sunrise, purples and pinks,
greeted us on our drive. We all loved the view from Grand Prospect and agreed that turning around at 10:30 was the right decision, as the winds grew all morning as some system moved in.
We saw one biker, one jogger, 12 hikers and about 6-8 dogs on the morning, all on our descent. We also saw a kind gentleman driving to the top to do work on the tower who asked if we were okay and said he never sees anyone go beyond Grand Prospect. (we were having lunch on the road away from any trees that might topple).
We also noted 6-8 blow downs including several "spears" and marveled at the "squeaking trees" making their own kind of music. On the day, 9.25 miles at 2.5 mph moving pace, 2186' elevation gain. And a half a day for other things.