May 1, 2004, Granite Mountain

During the approach drive, I got a good view of the possible descents.  The west bowl appeared to be about 50% rocks and 50% vertical fingers of snow, while the SW ridge did seem to offer a continuous route.  Somehow I ended up ascending the south face, which at least was direct and not too bad.  Other folks were going up the trail until the SE ridge and then doing that as a snow climb, another good option which shortens the extremely circuitous "official" trail.  The descent of the SW ridge was really fun at about 11:30 with smooth, moderately steep untouched corn.  Instead of pin-wheels, the stuff I was knocking loose formed softball-sized gumdrops of surface wet loose that kept meeting me in the fall line.  I think this was the best snow I have had this spring, and would estimate about a 1500 foot vertical.  It definitely ended too soon.  Then it was time to eyeball the I-90 Denny Creek off-ramp area, put the skis on the backback and descend through classic Cascadian terrain.  Eventually one cannot help but hit the trail. This tour is realisitically not a very good return on uphill investment any more but still a lot of fun.