Hiking up Granite Mountain and staying active during pregnancy

Granite Mountain is one of our favorite Summer hikes for its sweeping views, glorious wildflowers and challenging terrain. Granite Mountain is 8.6 miles roundtrip with 3800 feet elevation gain putting you at around 5600 feet at the top. I realized taking a hike like this while 25 weeks pregnant might seem like a crazy idea to some of you. The fact is, staying in shape particularly while being pregnant is very important to me. I know I am lugging a lot of extra weight up the mountain, but it makes reaching the top feel even more triumphant. We decided to take this hike on a ninety degree day and even though we started out early in the morning the heat started to feel really oppressive on the way up. Once you pass the first two miles the trail is fairly exposed the rest of the way up. 

A few things I did to keep cool were:

• Take frequent, but small sips of water. I won't hike anywhere without my Camelbak because it allows me to be hands free and my water accessible at all times. Taking small sips keep your hydrate without making your stomach feel sloshy. 
• Know your limits. The trail up is very steep. Normally I would plow straight up the mountain, but this time I made certain to make pit stops when I felt my heart racing and my face feeling flush. 
• Take advantage of your surroundings/be resourceful. Cameron had the brilliant idea to bring a rag and dip it in the cool icy snow run off and then wrap it around the back of my neck. This certainly helped immensely to keep my body temperature down while the intense sun beat down. 
• Be kind to yourself. When you are fortunate enough to experience a healthy, active pregnancy it is easy to be hard on yourself or think about what you used to be able to do. Remember you are growing another human being inside of you and that is much more important than being able to run, hike fast or be in the same shape you were pre pregnancy. This is something I often have to remind myself of. 

Other visits to Granite Mountain may be found here, here and here. 

Driving directions:

From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 47. Turn left at the stop sign and cross over the freeway. Make another left at the "T" intersection, and park at the Pratt Lake Trailhead.