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| Hiking | 7.23 Miles |
585 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.23 Miles | 2 Hrs 15 Mns | | 3.21 mph |
| 585 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | | After work hike. Got to the TH around 4:30. Did a lasso, starting off on the Turnbuckle, then to Granite Falls. About 1.5 miles in came to the start of the Pyrite Trail. Took that as it headed west and then north. Trail did some gradual climbing, with some short steep sections. Trail is very different from the other Skyline trails, especially as you work your way in, becoming a nice single track removed from the rest of the park. As I gained elevation I got some nice views back into the park and unique peak-framed views to the south, west and eventually to the north. About .2 miles in, there was an obvious user trail that heads off to south. But that trail is "lined off" with rocks to help keep hikers off that trail and on the Pyrite trail. About 1.5 miles there is a trail spur that will take you to Pyrite Summit. As I was hiking the Pyrite Trail I had fun trying to guess which of the peaks was "Pyrite Peak". It took me three guesses before it became evident which of the high point was the actual peak. Hint: it is further to the north and west than you might originally think. Didn't summit today. That will be for a return trip. Back side of Pyrite trail is a quick descent with a myriad of switchbacks. It is "Turnbucklesque" in its elevation change. I roughly calculated 300ft loss in about .3 miles. This is probably one of the reasons why this is a signed one trail for bikers and horsemen. Pyrite Trail connects to the Chuckwalla Trail which I took south back to the Granite Falls Trail. Reconnecting to GF Trail, I took that east to the Turnbuckle Trail. On the Turnbuckle, I opted for the easy flat route by taking the western route back to the TH. It was pushing 7pm and fairly dim by the time I got back to the parking lot. Weather was a little chilly, but not too bad. Saw 11 hikers on my way to the Pyrite Trail, but no one after I got on it. No wildlife. |
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