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we tried the huckleberry creek approach in early summer. got lost. retreated. and later found out that we werent lost.. damn it all.

and for the frozen to death plateau......it is hell on earth. i swear the weather changes every 5 minutes. what we didnt realize was that it is going to take several hours for us to reach to the base of granite from FTD. by time we arrived, a storm hit us. so i guess we will have to go back........

I've been to Granite in mid-July and mid-August. I can tell you that mid-August is the best time for the SW Couloir. You don't need a guide, rope, harness, etc, just be prepared for some class 3 scrambling with a lot of loose rock. It feels like you're exposed, because you can see off the side of the couloir, but really it's not that exposed (you're down inside a shallow v). If you were to fall, you would most likely remain in the couloir, unless you just started cartwheeling. I think a fall of more than 15 to 20 feet (not vertical, think a flight of stairs) would be very rare (but not impossible) on this route. I would recommend bringing a spot or sat phone, because it is a long approach and if you have an accident it could be a day or so before someone makes it out to get you help. Cell phones are useless out there. Without a doubt rockfall is the biggest hazard, don't worry about technicality or exposure. Just be sure that if you are with partners you are spaced out and not stacked behind each other. Be sure to wear a helmet.

Here's a good picture of what you will be "in" http://www.summitpost.org/granite-peak- ... oir/556043

splattski wrote:Agree with Alpinist.

For the new climber, I'd also like to point out something mentioned previously- the ideal time to climb Gannet is late June/early July, but the ideal time to climb Granite is late August. So if you want best conditions, plan on two trips.

Agreed, definitely two different optimal climbing seasons... so close, but they miss each other by a few weeks.

gwave47 wrote:I've been to Granite in mid-July and mid-August. I can tell you that mid-August is the best time for the SW Couloir. You don't need a guide, rope, harness, etc, just be prepared for some class 3 scrambling with a lot of loose rock. It feels like you're exposed, because you can see off the side of the couloir, but really it's not that exposed (you're down inside a shallow v). If you were to fall, you would most likely remain in the couloir, unless you just started cartwheeling. I think a fall of more than 15 to 20 feet (not vertical, think a flight of stairs) would be very rare (but not impossible) on this route. I would recommend bringing a spot or sat phone, because it is a long approach and if you have an accident it could be a day or so before someone makes it out to get you help. Cell phones are useless out there. Without a doubt rockfall is the biggest hazard, don't worry about technicality or exposure. Just be sure that if you are with partners you are spaced out and not stacked behind each other. Be sure to wear a helmet.

Here's a good picture of what you will be "in" http://www.summitpost.org/granite-peak- ... oir/556043

Fully agreed--I did not find the exposure on the route to be bad at all, especially compared with Gannett! Most of the exposed parts were on pretty easy sections; most of the trickiest climbing wasn't at all exposed. Really the worst spot, IMO, is near the giant boulders at the base of the couloir, where you have to pop onto an airy 3rd class ridge for several dozen feet (basically both the rightmost extent of the couloir, and part of the top of the slab). Rock's pretty solid there though, tons of handholds and footholds. I mostly cautiously butt-slid on the way down.

And yes, climbing helmets are a must. I'd also recommend travelling back down the couloir in close proximity, or letting one person at a time go in spots--rockfall is a definite concern.

Take-home message: unless it's your first time dealing with class 3 scrambling, I see no reason someone in reasonable shape, with good weather and route conditions, couldn't make it up the SW Couloir route of Granite. The same cannot be said for the other routes up Granite, or any route up Gannett though--all are at least somewhat technical.