April 26, 2009, Granite Corn Harvest

The corn on Granite was some of the creamiest hero corn I've ever skied.  Except for the approach hike/climb, it is a great place to ski for awhile longer.  Conditions were very stable, and no new avalanche debris in the gullies.

I only had a half day, so I left the Granite Mtn PLot right at 2PM.  The weather was warm, not windy down low.  I hiked up through the main (climber's left) gully.  Met some Mountaineers glissading down. 

About 4:30 I found the escalator!  Two guys had kicked perfect steps up through the soft snow of the ridge between two main gullies.  The ridge between the gullies was smooth, perfect corn.   I caught them about 5 (not Tayers) around 4,800 ft.  They were just clicking in and heading down.  I continued on up to my high point at about 5,000. 

The trip down the ridge was fabulous!  Lots of turns weaving through the small, sparse trees.  If I had it to do over again, (and I might later this week) I'd go down the middle gulley - it looked smoother and not filled with tracks, etc. And it stays free of slide alder farther down the mountain than the main climbing gulley.  But Man! it was great on the ridge.

When the ridge ended and I was back into the gulley, it became survival skiing through the chicken heads, glissade paths and boot uptrack.  I made the mistake of following the Mountaineers tracks too far down, and missed the trail.  That meant bushwhacking down through the timber till I finally hit the trail about a 1/2 mile from the parking lot.

A great workout, enough sun to put on a little burn, and a fun trip down.