Washeshu Peak–Granite Chief Trail, 4 sights is a 12.6-mile out-and-back in Chickering American River Reserve near Alpine Meadows, CA. The route reaches Washeshu Peak at the turnaround, 6.3 miles in. It climbs 3,431 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade. It scores 88/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
0 mi6,254 – 8,698 ft · steepest grade: 23%13.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Granite Chief Trail 39.20030, -120.23701
Nearest town Alpine Meadows, CA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Washeshu Peak–Granite Chief Trail, 4 sights
12.6 mi · ▲ 3,431 ft · 5 hr 55 min
Elevation 6,255–8,698 ft
Out & Back · Chickering American River Reserve
Trailhead: Granite Chief Trail · 39.20030, -120.23701
Weather Aug 4: Clear, high 86°F / low 50° · precip 0% · wind 2 mph · sunrise 6:05 AM · sunset 8:11 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Granite Chief Trail, heading NW.
- 3.5 miContinue straight onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading S.
- 1.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Western States Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 350 ftSharp right onto High Camp to Emigrant Ridge, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Washeshu Peak, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.7 miSharp left, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftSharp left onto Western States Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Pacific Crest Trail, heading NW.
- 1.5 miContinue straight onto Granite Chief Trail, heading NE.
- 3.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
13% dirt87% unspecified
Weather
ClearTemperature 86°F50°
Precip0%Wind2 mphUV8Humidity24%
Hourly temperature
90°50°
Sunrise 6:05 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:11 PM
Tue
86°61°
Wed
85°58°
Thu
88°58°
Fri
88°59°
Sat
89°59°
Sun
89°57°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.4 mi in (~138 min). Leave by 5:33 PM for the 8:11 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:48 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Granite Chief Trail Trailhead
- Granite Chief Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 764 ft
- Granite Chief & Granite Chief Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 10.7 mi · ▲ 3,046 ft
- Granite Chief Trail–Siberai Basin Loop Trail, 4 sights 12.1 mi · ▲ 3,453 ft
- Polar Bear Lake–Granite Chief Trail, 4 sights 13.4 mi · ▲ 3,632 ft
- Shirley Lake–Granite Chief Trail, 5 sights 14.1 mi · ▲ 4,074 ft
- Tinker Knob & Granite Chief Trail via Pacific Crest Trail 14.9 mi · ▲ 3,978 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Alpine Meadows, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Alpine Meadows, California