Go ahead, make my day!

1/17/2025 Dirty Harry's Peak

The curiously named Dirty Harry's trail gets its name not from the Clint Eastwood character but rather the local logger Harry Gault. More popular among hikers is the route to Dirty Harry's Balcony, a moderate effort hike that offers nice views of I-90 and the Snoqualmie Valley. There is a handful of climbers routes that descend down from the trail, providing similar views to those from the balcony.

On this day, there was a light dusting of snow starting at the parking lot. The snow was not a factor until past the balcony, where the hike transitions to a steep climb up to the peak, best suited for more serious hikers. I did not see anyone on the trail until returning past the balcony on the way down.

The section of trail leading to the peak had a few patches of ice, necessitating microspikes, especially for the descent. The last 1/4 to 1/2 mile had quite a bit of snow (about two feet), but a good boot path aided the route finding.

From the peak, you look down on Granite Lakes, another one of my favorite winter hikes (see picture at the top of this post). Mailbox Peak to the west was shrouded in clouds this day.

On the way down, I took a short detour to the "museum". The route is not marked, but if you know where to look, it's easy enough to find. The turn-off is just a few feet from the only significant creek crossing, after it and on the left when going back to the trailhead. the attraction is an old logging truck owned by Harry himself.

The skies cleared as the day progressed, making for specular lighting as the low sun shined through the trees and illuminated the surrounding trees, rocks, and moss. Below is a shot of McClellan Butte across I-90 to the south.