Trip Details:
|
Arrive Parking outside gate |
09:40AM |
|
Start hiking |
09:49AM |
|
Dirty Harry Trailhead |
10:02AM |
|
Balcony/Summit fork |
10:44AM |
|
Dirty Harry Museum |
11:10AM |
|
Talus/Trail fork |
11:26AM |
|
Dirty Harry Summit |
12:09PM |
|
Leave Summit |
12:36PM |
|
Talus/Trail fork |
01:08PM |
|
Balcony/Summit fork |
01:46PM |
|
Dirty Harry's Balcony |
01:54PM |
|
Leave Dirty Harry's Balcony |
02:16PM |
|
Balcony/Summit fork |
01:46PM |
|
Dirty Harry Trailhead |
02:53PM |
|
Car |
03:07PM |
|
Snow |
Didn't see a lick of it. |
|
Bugs |
Got one bite on way down. Nothing significant. |
|
Weather |
Not hot/pleasant hiking. Summit clear. Partly Cloudy. |
| Crowds | The only person I saw on the way up I caught at Talus/Trail fork. Followed him a bit then passed him as he briefly stopped and then the summit gear kicked in and made the summit in short order. Saw a couple of other guys going up on my way down. One couple lost ~ .3 miles past Balcony fork. They turned around (later saw them at balcony when I was leaving). Saw a few rock climber types near parking lot. |
| Scenic Value | Summit views now partially blocked by trees. To West/north west blocked also by the unnamed peak between Dirty Harry's and Mailbox. Can not see Mailbox. Best views out to east/one of Granite lakes and across that valley. |
| Difficulty | A pure hike. Other than occasionally having to walk through part of the now shallow creek, and be road bed rocky in places, not difficult at all. No route finding difficulties. It is pretty straightforward if you get the fork right. Just follow the road/trail to the summit. Becomes more a trail and a bit steeper as you close in on the summit but nothing serious. , |
Basic Route Info:
Narrative:
Well Dirty Harry's was one I had never attempted. Was a bit unsure about possible route confusion based on some internet reports. At any rate arrived at the parking lot below the Fire Training center. I opted to park outside as the gates close at 4PM and I wasn't sure how much goofing around I would be doing.
After a short walk up the road to Fire Training Center you find the trailhead. The old TNAB waypoint was spot on.
The grade is pretty constant, not too serious but uphill nonetheless. Cross an old crappy bridge to soon meet the Balcony/Summit fork.
After about 1/3 mile you get a few nice lookout views to the south.
Not much more soon reaching Creek near the Museum which is nothing from the trail.
Another junction then the Talus/Trail split.
Few more shots before summit.
Summit arrival. Obligatory shots of the log/view down.
A One of Granite Lakes off to east (other to right not visible from here).
It's a long way down (~1700 feet to lake).....Hard to get the effect in this photo.
Views around the horn where you can see something.
After some lunch headed back down to check out the balcony.
After a brief snack stop on the balcony headed back down and not too much later was back on the Fire Training Center road and back at the car.
All in all a great/no event hike. Is this hike on my top 10 list? No mainly because of the lack of summit views. The views from the balcony aren't far off from what you see on the summit other than being able to look right down to Granite Lake. This however an easy access hike and easy to follow with good trail and may be an alternative to other overly crowded I-90 corridor hikes.
Last Updated 07/27/2008