Granite Mountain Lookout

On Thursday, July 17th, the girls and I made another attempt to drive the back road between home and the Granite Mountain trail head. The last time we did this, two weeks earlier, we came upon a vehicle stuck in a small patch of deep, slushy snow, blocking our way. (I turned this incident into a story for my online newspaper, McCall Chronicle, called Stumbling Upon Kentucky Rob. Pretty funny story, which is still unfolding.) This day, though, we got through and did the route.

The photo above gives an idea why I, at least, love this trail: the views are stunning, and I enjoy the steep switchbacks through granite scree midway up the mountain, with cairns marking the route. I think the girls enjoy it, too. There are photos from this same route, posted with a blog entry for June 14, 2007 (also a Thursday).

Sometimes, in years past, we've not made it to the summit because there's too much snow and we lose the trail. Other times, there's no snow left, and it's too hot and dry for the girls to go eight miles round trip without water, so we turn back early. This time, it was perfect - cool and sunny when we started at 8:00 am. We had the trail to ourselves. We crossed two streams within the first half mile, then the route was dry until the girls found two patches of snow in the section of trail through granite scree, about three miles up. They're like bees to honey when it comes to snow! "Ah....relief!" the look on Maia's face conveys.

The trail starts at 6700 feet. The summit is at 8474 feet, according to the sign at the base of the Forest Service Lookout. The ground here was covered in pink-purple phlox. On the way up, it was Spring all over again, with lupine, Indian paintbrush, phlox and other wildflowers just now blooming; near home, they've all long since died off and dried up.

Just before reaching the summit and lookout, we passed a huge snow bank on the north-facing shoulder of the mountain. The girls got their fill of snow to slake their thirst.
When we approached the lookout, I heard a "Hello!" from the deck. Les, the lookout for the summer, introduced himself. After he obliged me by taking some photos of me and the girls, we talked about the summer lookout lifestyle. I've toyed with the idea, thinking I'd find out just how much solitude I can tolerate. Maybe get some writing done - between scanning the landscape every 15 minutes (yeah, right). When Les said it was one of the few Forest Service jobs where dogs are welcomed, I grew even more interested. Maybe next summer....

Hearing me say I'd often thought about the job, Les invited me up to see what the living quarters are like. Small, and spartan, sure. But check out the view!

Each lookout gets breaks every several days, so it's not as though one spends an entire summer there, alone. Weekends are often full of hikers stopping by, signing the guest book, shooting the breeze. And as Les said, you're in constant radio contact with other lookouts and Forest Service employees. Food and supplies are helicoptered in, but the lookout (and dogs) hike in/out. I could dig it.

Me and the girls, photo taken by Les, near the lookout, looking north. The air was hazy, most likely from wildfires outside Spokane, the smoke drifting across Idaho. Or maybe the CA fires. Or both. I just know that I'm grateful that, so far this summer, we haven't any any significant local fires.

On the way back down the trail toward the car, the girls found the same two snow patches in the granite scree that they'd sampled on the way up. They stopped at both, cooling their toes, eating snow. Each time, I'd stop, giving them as much time as they needed. When they finished eating snow, I'd start down the trail again. At the second patch of snow, I quickly realized Meadow wasn't behind me as I started down the trail again. I looked back, and there she was, cooling her jets, being a snow dog. I couldn't resist taking this photo. It took some coaxing to get her off that snow!

We had an eight mile run/hike on a gorgeous day. The girls enjoyed it. I got to learn a bit about lookout living. I may apply for next summer, although having three dogs with me in such a small space might be a bit much.