Hiking Granite Mountain

Do you have a favorite hike? 

By favorite hike, I mean the one you've done 2-3 and more times? 

What keeps you going back to the same place ? Is it the scenery? The challenge ? The proximity to your home? 

And while I understand you might have your own reasons, my reason to hike Granite Mountain for the second time was.. well ( it's kinda embarrassing ), I couldn't find it the first time 😥

That brings me to my first word of advice - read the description of the hike before you leave your house. And read it thoroughly !

Though I did have my favorite book "75 Great Hikes Seattle" the first time, all I bothered to read was the directions to the trailhead ( shame on me ). I missed the turn to Granite Mt trail, and I paid my dues...

For the first mile or so, Granite Mountain and Pratt Lake share the same trail, but at about 1.2 miles, a SIGNED intersection points you to the right in the direction of the Granite Mountain Lookout.You miss it , and you are in for a treat for a pretty long hike to the ( no less picturesque) Annette Lake or Pratt Lake ( that's the beauty of this trailhead- multiple destinations).

This time, I did see the sign, turned right and started a slow but steady ascent to the top.

I am not going to describe the trail ( you can find it in the book ), just will say that the book grades this hike:

Difficulty level- Extreme

Which brings me to my second advice- assess your fitness/hiking level before you leave your house. And one more thing - be honest about it.

Here is the reason : though this time I read about the hike ( and number one reason I chose it, was because of the difficulty level ), I doubt many people, who were hiking that morning, did the same.

I mean, I saw grandparents on the trail, families with a bunch of toddlers, dog owners and my favorite- two hikers with a map and a compass.

Let me first start with THE LATTER - LEASHED DOGS, people !!! ( that's what the trail sign says ). Don't get me wrong, I love dogs, just don't feel like being humped by them.

At about 4.3 miles, just below the final push to the top...THE BOULDER FIELD

On my way back down, a grandma, hiking to the top, asked me :" Are the boulders still there ? Will I have to scramble to the top ?" " Ahh...."

Well, actually, there is a snow trail to the right of the boulders, that goes up.
But scrambling? 

That's THE BEST PART of the hike, grandma.

Finally, families with little kids ? Seriously?

Last piece of advice. Or should I say- MY SECRET. TO AVOID ALL THAT - GO EARLY IN THE MORNING.

Happy trails !

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Family- friendly hiking in the Olallie State Park

In my opinion,hiking offers a great alternative to those expensive family outings of "movie and a dinner". It is not only cheaper, but it is healthier,informative and a great way to introduce your kids to the outdoors.

When you choose your destination for a family hike, you take into consideration such facts as : travel time to a trailhead,the length of a trail, the difficulty level of a trail,elevation gain,best season to go and ,of course, your family members physical ability.Those facts will vary. How often have you seen a father travelling with a one year old ( sometimes younger ) behind his back, or a a two year old walking on a trail, making his first ascent.

Thanks to Mike McQuade and his book " Day Hike!" the choice was abundant. My choice would have to be: less than an hour drive from my home, relatively short hiking time, difficulty level- none to easy. There is another very important criterion (for many hikers, including me) for picking a hike - popularity level.But if you go on a family-friendly hike - expect crowds.After looking through the book , I chose the Twin Falls hike in Olallie State Park.


The 2.6 round-trip hike starts in the Twins Falls Natural Area in Olallie State Park.
The best features of this hike- easy to find, the trailhead is right there, no switchbacks, no confusing signs , zero chances to get lost ( if you want to feel really adventurous, don't forget your 10 essentials).

For the first 0.5 miles the trail parallels the South Fork of the Snoqualmie River with plenty of spots to enjoy this beautiful river.My advice -don't stop ( once your little ones start throwing rocks into the river,it's hard to tear them away from that fun ), proceed for another mile or so, to the wooden stairs leading you to your first viewing deck of the jaw-dropping Lower Twin Falls.That's where you need to be patient:the deck is quite small and ,for some people ,it takes forever to take a picture. After you are done, go back to the trail and continue for another couple hundred feet to the wooden bridge. That's your second "viewing spot".Got enough pictures? Beyond the bridge, more wooden stairs lead to your last spot to enjoy this nature wonder and may be to have a lunch.
The trail continues climbing for about half-mile, eventually hooking up with the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, but unless your family is planning to visit Ellensburg ( that's where it goes), it is time to head back home.




For more adventurous and hard core photographers,there is a tiny trail that leads to the bank of the river, just before you are about to reach the Lower Falls.Along the river ,if you jump from one rock to another, you can ,actually, reach the bottom of the Lower Falls to take the best picture, not available to the "general public".

Hiking To Olympic Hot Springs

 The beginning of the trail

The actual trailhead

 Crossing a bridge ( you are almost there )

One of the "cleanest " hot springs

One more pool with the "view"

The scenic Lake Davis

The last time I was soaking in hot springs was 6 years ago in Oregon. It was winter time: the hike, the scenery, the hot springs - everything was gorgeous.

Since then I've always wanted to go back there. And recently I've discovered that we have not one , but dozens of hot springs , right here in our own backyard. I made some research, and the Olympic Hot Springs looked like the best choice.

The hike to Olympic Hot Springs is 2.5 miles from the trailhead during warmer months. When there is snow, road barricades are erected, and it increases the hike from 2.5 to 6.5 miles during winter. As you can see from the pics, the trail was not that bad. The snow covered part of it was icy, but passable. The hike itself was very easy.

As for the hot springs pools, well , I guess you will be the judge. To me, they looked quite shallow, somewhat dirty, and not that hot :) But I guess the combination of hiking, camping, and relaxing in the pools would make the trip worthwhile.

Personally, I had fun and really enjoyed the trip. I wish I had more time to explore the area a little bit more.

Hiking Mailbox Peak in winter and summer

The trail to middle fork Snoqualmie river

Mt Rainier

Besides the actual mailbox there is another ''sight''

Couldn't help not taking such a cliche picture

Downtown Seattle

The Snoqualmie river

As Mike McQuaide wrote in his book ''Day Hike! Central Cascades'' : " everybody should do mailbox peak once-and maybe just once." And i would agree with him. 

This is a very strenuous hike-straight up from about 1,000 feet to about 4,900 feet in 2.5 miles.

And as Mike wrote in his book "at the top, the rewards are big". 

But you will be the one to judge...

Attention: this is the trailhead for both-mailbox peak and the middle fork Snoqualmie river. 

The Mailbox Peak trail is to your left ( if you cross the creek,you've gone too far). 

There is no actual sign, but rather a big post warning you about the difficulty of the trail.

What is it like hiking Mailbox Peak in winter ?

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Hiking ( Tiger Mountain)

Choose your way

Mt Rainier from south end of Tiger mountain

Eastside view

Paragliding from Tiger mountain

Before i have already wrote about the Issaquah Alps as a great hiking destination just miles away from Seattle.But Tiger mountain is not only a great hiking ( and mountain biking) place , but also a paragliding mecca of NW.On a good sunny day you can observe dozens of paragliders taking off from the top.If you want to try, many pilots offer tandem flights. Check out one of our friends sites.

Hiking ( the Enchantment Lakes)

Every year hundreds of people head out for the Enchantments lake- one of the most beautiful places in Washington. Because of the popularity of that place , it is very difficult to get a permit for camping in that area.Usually all the permits are sold from June 15th- till October 15th. I took my trip on June 7th. As it turned out ,it was a little bit too early to go camping in that area.There was lots of snow in the upper lakes ( past Lake Vivian), besides there had been snow fall the day before.