This is a very tough hike and I do not recommend this for beginners. People often just do Giant Mountain then go down and they would skip Rocky Peak Ridge. This will lower the difficulty and lower the total distance of the hike as well. However, for people who are pretty fit, going to both viewpoints would be simple and very easy. This has huge elevation gain so people will be climbing or ascending for some time before reaching the viewpoints.
Giant Mountain And Rocky Peak Ridge Important Information
Trail Map: Trail Map 1
Suggested Phone GPS Apps: Alltrails.com, Avenza Maps, Google Maps
Difficulty: Strenuous
Distance: 11 Miles
Elevation Gained: 4500 ft
Portable Toilet At Parking: Yes
Trail Breakdown
Blue Trail Going Up
First Viewpoint
Blue Trail Going Up
Smooth Rock Trail Going Up
Blue Trail Into The Forest And Going Up
Giant Mountain Lookout
Trail Going Down To Rocky Peak Ridge
Trail Going Up To Rocky Peak Ridge
Go Back To Giant Mountain Intersection
Smooth Rock Trail Going Down
Blue Trail Going Down To Parking Lot
Note: The information is just an approximation.
Parking
Start Of The Hike
All easy hikes are the same. All tough hikes are different, in their own unique and difficult ways. The ranger said this was easy, “just like cascade mountain”, he said. He even said this was better. Why did I believe him? This was a tough hike and should not be underestimated. The trails, the elevation gain and the distance were all very difficult to conquer but it was doable. I packed all the necessary hiking gear that I needed and went on my way.
Blue Trail
Blue Trail Going Up
Difficult and tough, the steep footpath started way too early in the hike but there was no time to complain about it as I have a long hike ahead of me. I tied the strings on my hiking boots tightly and then I moved upwards. The rocks were very stable as I put my feet onto them. They did not wiggle nor shake as I stepped from one rock to another.
Blue Trail Ascending
Everything about this trail screamed “wilderness” as there was nothing in here that looked tamed nor safe. Logs and dead trees with pointy sharp branches were everywhere and the multitude of rocks didn’t exactly help my ascent either. There was no choice but to keep moving and keep going on.
More Going Up
More dead trees and rocks of different sizes could be found as I ascended the footpath. At this point, there was exhaustion emanating from my body as I was breathing heavily and sweating profusely. I had not stop nor rested, I just kept going as fatigue and stress accumulated within my body with each step that I made.
First Viewpoint
Views
First Vista
Wooden Bridge
Intersection
Intersection
Trail Going Up
The footpaths had been brutal as there were hardly any flat terrain. All I kept getting were steep slopes that kept going upwards. I felt my body dragging itself as my footsteps became heavier with each passing moment. I knew I needed to rest but I will saved that for later when I come across a viewpoint. When that moment comes, I can rest, take pictures and enjoy my time till my body recuperates.
Rocky Terrain
View Afterwards
Flat Terrain
Views On The Trail
Trail Going Up
The rocky trail was replaced by this smooth stone that was very easy to traversed. I didn’t need to do anything nor avoid any obstacles in my way, all I needed to do was walk upwards. I noticed my throat had become dry and thirst propagated into my mind as the craving for water kept increasing as time passed by. The heavy rays of the sun kept pouring downward and there was no shade nor forest to hide behind, all I could do was keep moving forward.
Cairns To Signify The Way
I opened a bottle of water as my thirst couldn’t be ignored anymore. I drank half of it in mere seconds and I did not regret it at all. Water never tasted so good as it quenched my thirst and gave my body some relief. I kept following the cairns that were leading the way to the top as there were plenty of them and they were easy to follow as well. The clouds blocked the hot sun, giving my body some relief but I knew it wouldn’t lasts so picked up the pace and kept moving.
More Views
Vista On The Trail
Viewpoint While Going Upwards
Looking Back
Blue Trail
Trail
Ascent
The steep footpath was made out of stone. There was no dirt, no trees, no roots, there was nothing but rocks. I grabbed the edge as high as I could reach then used my legs to propel my body upwards. After that, it was easy. I used my eyes to look for a way to go up without using my hands and before I knew it, I was already at the top.
Giant Mountain Lookout
Giant Mountain Viewpoint
Giant Mountain Vista
Giant Mountain
Giant Mountain Cloudy
Giant Mountain Clear Day
Intersection
Vista On The Trail
Views
Viewpoint
Trail Descending
It was a weird footpath that it was slanted in one direction with pointy branches on the bottom part. There were trees that seemed to have been chopped up or pulled out but there were still parts that were very sharp that remained. I remained vigilant as I kept going downwards as one false move and I could seriously injure myself.
Trail Going Down
I wouldn’t say that the trail was slippery as I was using hiking boots that had a lot of traction. However, gravity propelled me in one direction as if my body was being pulled to one side. It was such a time consuming footpath as I couldn’t just walk downwards and had to plan my descent. Perhaps if I didn’t bring a 20 pound backpack, this would be easy but it is what it is and I just had to make the best of it.
Trail Going Up
It was one of those annoying footpaths where you would descent only to find yourself going up again. I rested for a few minutes before going up as the descent actually took a lot of my energy and just thinking about going up again was giving me some sort of mental fatigue as well.
Ascending
It was a footpath that actually looked normal as I was expecting another slanted footpath with sharp branches on the sides. I didn’t need to use my hands, just my legs in order to get up the mountain. I wouldn’t say it was easy as I was pretty tired at this point but it was manageable.
Rocky Peak Ridge Lookout
Rocky Peak Ridge Vista
Rocky Peak Ridge Viewpoint
Rocky Peak Ridge Views
Rocky Peak Ridge
Rocky Peak Ridge Landscape
Rocky Peak Ridge Blue Mountains
Going Back – Descending
Going Up
Back To Intersection Again
Going Back – Rain
Blue Trail Descending
End Of The Hike
