
Starting up Cool Canyon.

Some minor dryfalls within Cool Canyon.

Cool Canyon was pretty, and overall easy to hike through.

A junction of drainages, where we headed up a spur ridge seen here.

Along the spur ridge, continuing up toward Granite Mountain. The peak isn't visible yet, but we're headed toward that lump in the center.

A social trail much of the way up the spur ridge.

Steep at times.

View back down at our progress up the spur ridge, Cool Canyon seen center.

Ahead is a sea of boulders. We kept t the right, ascending around the base.

View back, avoiding the majority of the boulders. Cool Canyon seen center.

Side-hilling along the steep slope, avoiding boulders.

A view of Granite Mountain!

Heading down to Granite Mountain's east saddle.

And then starting up the fun route-finding up the Class 2/2+ east ridge.

View back toward the saddle.

Lots of wrap-around obstacles, cairns helping often.

The slope looks like this most of the time, but the boulders are generally easy to scramble over or wrap around.

Just another shot for context.

View back toward the saddle.

Granite Mountain poking out on the right as the terrain continues to be bouldery, but less steep.

False summit, the last bit to Granite Mountain ahead.

More Class 2 with a nice social trail to help.

A crawl-through.

Granite Mountain summit ahead.

View back as we reach the summit.

View west toward Cuyamaca Peak.

Granite Mountain summit, view north into Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
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