[Mark Griffith]

TNAB and I often trade off on the same hikes, just theirs are in the evening in the dark and mine are in the morning in the dark. After reading about the Lunatique hike, I put a call for Dawn Patrol on Saturday but no one answered, and the lack of companionship and the lack of sleep due to seeing midnight showing of Bond conspired to make me just stay in bed. Monday night I steeled my resolve and decided to go alone. I was on the trail by 5:40 am. The bottom section of the trail was a bit muddy but not in too bad of shape, despite the description of creek and rain from TNAB. Around 1700 feet from the trailhead, where the water from the roaring creek disappears into the rock I took the left up the avalanche chute rather than follow the usual trail. Wow, 2000 vertical feet right up the chute and ridge to the pile of rocks below the lookout. That route has to be one of the longest and steepest unencumbered ridge lines along I-90. I had in my mind to try and beat Steve's report of 2 hours to the top, instead I clocked in at exactly 2 hours. (never try to beat Steve he's "got legs and he knows how to use them" ZZ Top) I was finally above the clouds that socked in the valley below, but there was still fog blowing across. And it was cold, cold, cold. I put on every layer I had (but the puffy) and kept moving up the rocks. Near the top of the ridge I passed a couple of dead snags that had huge coils of wire at their base, wonder who put them there for what reason. The snow that Steve mentioned had entirely melted from the granite, though the rocks were a bit slippery from the mist blowing over the mountain. The lookout was boarded up for the winter just waiting for the snow to dump. I dorked around on top for 15 min and then burned down the main trail so I could run and move faster. Back at the car I drove to work and showered in time for my first meeting. No sun, but I love hiking in the fog, the world always looks a bit more mysterious. Oh and PS. You remember the dork that spray painted the route up Mailbox? Well I noticed on top that someone had spray painted rocks along the completely obvious trail that cuts over the ridge of rock, why oh why?

Spray Paint is not cool

Some other pics :

Headlamp Boy

1 label

Snag with Wire at Base

Foggy Lookout

(Un)Dawn Patrol Shot

Burnt Umber Tarn

The Other side of Fog

[rdyhiker]

Wow, that's impressive. I hear of people doing Tiger before work, but Granite? Very impressive. Good to hear the snow is gone... tho not for long according to the forecast for the rest of the week.

[yukon222]

Nice report! I haven't taken that quick shortcut up the gully before. Usually take the long summer trail which TNAB did last Thursday or up the SW ridge line during Winter. I noticed those spray painted dots Thursday night. Horrible. Absolutely, positively uncalled for. 2hr time? Yes, it was a slow time as the TNAB group went up at a social pace to keep everyone together in the dark. Only went at a quicker 2400'/hr pace for the last 800' vertical thru the snow, ice and frozen pathways. I like your pic here - this was a frozen wintry scene just a few days ago. Guess winter is still reluctant to stay.

[Schmidt Alti-Dude]

Let's not forget that it was Steve and Tisha who made it up in 2 hours on the Lunatique hike (and her legs are much shorter than Steve's). Wow, I can't believe all the snow is gone!

[mountaineer ordinaire]

[33teeth]

[Elvis]

[Yet]

Beautiful photos, mbgriffi. And how sweet it is to have this hike in before work! ps: You don't need to beat anyone's record. You're in a class by yourself.

[Mark Griffith]

[Mark Griffith]

I added a video at the top of the post.

[BarbE]

LOVE the video!