Granite Mountain
Image: Courtesy John Brew
Mount Ellinor
3.2 miles round trip
The work: A short climb from the upper trailhead, which cuts 900 feet of elevation from the short and near-vertical Olympics trail. The payoff: Puget Sound vistas and a popular mountain goat hangout.
Tiger Mountain
7.5 miles round trip
The work: A gentle ascent from a trailhead right in town on the Poo Poo Point trail, one of many Tiger routes. The payoff: A front-row seat to the launch ramp for paragliders that sail down into Issaquah.
Mount Pilchuck
6 miles round trip
The work: Rocky uphill miles through boulder fields with little shade. The payoff: Views of the Central Cascades and a cool old wooden lookout.
Granite Mountain
8.6 miles round trip
The work: Repetitive turns under avalanche chutes (in winter) or berry bushes (summer), this side of Snoqualmie Pass. The payoff: A sometimes-open fire lookout perched on the treeless, steep field of boulders on top.
Rock Mountain
11 miles round trip
The work: Switchbacks upon switchbacks and a few more switchbacks after that, starting just beyond Stevens Pass. The payoff: Views from almost 7,000 feet, plus a workout that undoes a week of snacking.
Published in the 35 Outdoor Adventures issue of Seattle Met.
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