Just returned from a successful summit bid using this approach- thanks Matt for the descriptions. A couple of things to note:
-The trail from Mystic Lake to Princess Lake is generally very easy to follow. Alongside Huckleberry Lake there are a couple trivial boulderfields that are well cairned and easy to negotiate. At no point is there any true "bushwhacking".
-Good camp sites can be found south of Huckleberry Lake (right before the trail begins to climb steeply up to Princess Lake), and along Princess Lake (about halfway along the lake, in between the outlet and inlet). There are also okay campsites up higher in the valley near Cold Lake, the unnnamed pond, and Avalanche Lake, but getting up there with heavy packs would be more arduous than what it's worth- up until Princess Lake the terrain and route-finding are easy to negotiate with heavy packs; after Princess Lake, it becomes a little more tricky.
-Like I just mentioned, the challenges start coming after Princess Lake. We might have gone the wrong way here, but we crossed the creek at the inlet at Princess Lake and bushwhacked and then boulder-hopped up talus on the west side of the cascading waterfall creek, until we were able to find a weakness in the steep tier to surmount and gain access to Cold Lake. It appeared the east side of the creek may have been a better way to go (maybe there's actually a trail over there), we weren't sure.
-There's a little bushwhacking along the west side of Cold Lake, but it isn't too bad, and passing Cold Lake goes by quick enough. Then the real talus hopping starts.
-You generally want to stay low and to the west side of the drainage in between Cold Lake and Avalanche Lake, picking your way through the house-sized blocks following the path of least resistance. It's generally well-cairned through here. If visibility is low (like it was when we approached), a map and compass is essential for finding your way through this section (keep heading due south!)
-As you approach Avalanche Lake, avoid ascending a rise to the east of the lake. Stay low in the drainage until you come to the lake in order to avoid going way too high too early and having to come back down to lake level. It's kind of weird because there is no creek to follow (the water is located deep down, beneath the talus, out of sight).
-Bypassing Avalanche Lake isn't too bad so long as you stick near/along the eastern shoreline. Again, cairns mark the way through there.
-The climb up to the saddle between Granite and Tempest is monotonous, tedious, and contains a long stretch of loose "scralus". Just put your head down and turn on auto pilot. Coming down is not as bad you may think, and we were able to boot ski down the bottom half of the glacier (it isn't all that steep), avoiding a good chuck of the scralus on the descent.
Overall we enjoyed this approach to the mountain, and I think it makes the most sense to use this route if you are going Granite as an overnight (with a camp at Princess Lake). It took us 3 hours to get from W Rosebud to Princess Lake. From Princess Lake to the summit, and all the way back to W Rosebud took us 13.5 hours. Trying to hike above Princess Lake with heavy packs would suck, don't try it. For summit day, go fast and light, and start from Princess Lake. If you want to do Granite in a day, go over FTD.
Huckleberry Creek variation to avoid big boulders.
I've not done the Cold Lake approach but I have done the Snowball Lake approach in August 2008 and it was a delightful no drama way to get to Avalanche Lake. The key was finding the faint trail up the right side of the cascading stream coming down from the Snowball Lakes drainage. After correcting for a false start too far away from the stream, I found the path and all was well. I spent the 1st night at the first Snowball lake, waited a day as a storm passed thru and on day 3 weaved my way around the Snowball Lakes keeping the small boulder hopping to a minimum. Above the last Snowball the valley opens up and is one of the nicest alpine walks I've ever done. Arriving at last at Avalanche I found a very straight forward way up onto the top of the pile and then numerous grassy leads all the way down the east side of Avalanche Lake. Then the real work began. Carrying over means you should travel light which I was, so arrived at the col and with plenty of time to spare. Decided not to bivy there and did the East Ridge that afternoon, thus avoiding the weekend crowds that were gathering at the top of the FTDP for a Saturday climb. Back at the col I traversed up to the plateau and down a ways before I found a nice quiet camp. After reaching Mystic lake the next day I realized I should have gone in and out via Huckleberry Creek. The loop gave me the full Granite experience, but if I had to do it again, I would definitely avoid the plateau and stick with Huckleberry coming and going. Its 'pros' are as mentioned while the 'cons' are minimal particularly if you go by the Snowball Lakes variation.
McCannster - Aug 21, 2018 8:19 am - Hasn't voted
Couple of notesJust returned from a successful summit bid using this approach- thanks Matt for the descriptions. A couple of things to note:
-The trail from Mystic Lake to Princess Lake is generally very easy to follow. Alongside Huckleberry Lake there are a couple trivial boulderfields that are well cairned and easy to negotiate. At no point is there any true "bushwhacking".
-Good camp sites can be found south of Huckleberry Lake (right before the trail begins to climb steeply up to Princess Lake), and along Princess Lake (about halfway along the lake, in between the outlet and inlet). There are also okay campsites up higher in the valley near Cold Lake, the unnnamed pond, and Avalanche Lake, but getting up there with heavy packs would be more arduous than what it's worth- up until Princess Lake the terrain and route-finding are easy to negotiate with heavy packs; after Princess Lake, it becomes a little more tricky.
-Like I just mentioned, the challenges start coming after Princess Lake. We might have gone the wrong way here, but we crossed the creek at the inlet at Princess Lake and bushwhacked and then boulder-hopped up talus on the west side of the cascading waterfall creek, until we were able to find a weakness in the steep tier to surmount and gain access to Cold Lake. It appeared the east side of the creek may have been a better way to go (maybe there's actually a trail over there), we weren't sure.
-There's a little bushwhacking along the west side of Cold Lake, but it isn't too bad, and passing Cold Lake goes by quick enough. Then the real talus hopping starts.
-You generally want to stay low and to the west side of the drainage in between Cold Lake and Avalanche Lake, picking your way through the house-sized blocks following the path of least resistance. It's generally well-cairned through here. If visibility is low (like it was when we approached), a map and compass is essential for finding your way through this section (keep heading due south!)
-As you approach Avalanche Lake, avoid ascending a rise to the east of the lake. Stay low in the drainage until you come to the lake in order to avoid going way too high too early and having to come back down to lake level. It's kind of weird because there is no creek to follow (the water is located deep down, beneath the talus, out of sight).
-Bypassing Avalanche Lake isn't too bad so long as you stick near/along the eastern shoreline. Again, cairns mark the way through there.
-The climb up to the saddle between Granite and Tempest is monotonous, tedious, and contains a long stretch of loose "scralus". Just put your head down and turn on auto pilot. Coming down is not as bad you may think, and we were able to boot ski down the bottom half of the glacier (it isn't all that steep), avoiding a good chuck of the scralus on the descent.
Overall we enjoyed this approach to the mountain, and I think it makes the most sense to use this route if you are going Granite as an overnight (with a camp at Princess Lake). It took us 3 hours to get from W Rosebud to Princess Lake. From Princess Lake to the summit, and all the way back to W Rosebud took us 13.5 hours. Trying to hike above Princess Lake with heavy packs would suck, don't try it. For summit day, go fast and light, and start from Princess Lake. If you want to do Granite in a day, go over FTD.
Matt Lemke - Dec 25, 2018 7:25 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Couple of notesThanks for the added notes McCannster! It's been 5 years now since I did this approach so the fresh info is highly appreciated!
pcole8787 - Jan 15, 2020 8:05 am - Hasn't voted
Huckleberry Creek variation to avoid big boulders.I've not done the Cold Lake approach but I have done the Snowball Lake approach in August 2008 and it was a delightful no drama way to get to Avalanche Lake. The key was finding the faint trail up the right side of the cascading stream coming down from the Snowball Lakes drainage. After correcting for a false start too far away from the stream, I found the path and all was well. I spent the 1st night at the first Snowball lake, waited a day as a storm passed thru and on day 3 weaved my way around the Snowball Lakes keeping the small boulder hopping to a minimum. Above the last Snowball the valley opens up and is one of the nicest alpine walks I've ever done. Arriving at last at Avalanche I found a very straight forward way up onto the top of the pile and then numerous grassy leads all the way down the east side of Avalanche Lake. Then the real work began. Carrying over means you should travel light which I was, so arrived at the col and with plenty of time to spare. Decided not to bivy there and did the East Ridge that afternoon, thus avoiding the weekend crowds that were gathering at the top of the FTDP for a Saturday climb. Back at the col I traversed up to the plateau and down a ways before I found a nice quiet camp. After reaching Mystic lake the next day I realized I should have gone in and out via Huckleberry Creek. The loop gave me the full Granite experience, but if I had to do it again, I would definitely avoid the plateau and stick with Huckleberry coming and going. Its 'pros' are as mentioned while the 'cons' are minimal particularly if you go by the Snowball Lakes variation.