Granite Creek Basin from Perseverance Trail

Type: Backcountry or Sidecountry

The beginning of the trail is fairly mellow and follows a well-established route. The tricky part are bridges that are covered in snow and sometimes creek crossings. It's also tricky finding where the trail breaks off towards Granite Creek Basin. But it should be after a bridge crossing and into another valley on the left going up. Hopefully, the sign isn't buried.

After here, the trail becomes highly dangerous due to overhead avalanche danger. There is minimal area to avoid the overhanging chutes and steep faces and traversing on the river if it is frozen, is the best option. However, if there is any sign of instability it is highly recommended to avoid this area. Springtime also brings down lots of wet point slides and it is very active due to the surrounding steep faces and sunny aspects.

Once past the valley, it does open up into safer terrain. Depending on conditions and risk tolerance, you can choose your line in a variety of options. But again, stay away from avalanche run-outs that surround the bowl. A low-angle descent through the middle is the safest option.

Overall, and despite the gentle slope up on this route, this is a dangerous approach during any time that has even nominal avalanche conditions, new precip, or sunny warm days and it's rated very difficult for this reason.