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| Full Lot |
Not letting the lack of company hold me back, I decided to
head out to the mountains on my own. I don’t normally hike alone, especially in
places I’ve never been before, so I decided on a short popular trail up to Little
Si. I was a little skeptical from reading a few recent trip reports of bear
sightings in the area, but the full parking lot and other hikers hitting the
trail calmed my nerves.
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| Trail connecting parking lots |
I had to park in the separate lot that is connected by a
short trail. It was only .2 miles from my car to the TH that took only a few
minutes. Started at 11:00.
Not even half a mile up the trail a couple gentleman stopped
and chatted with me informing that there is an old trail up to Big Si this way.
Great, now I want to go there! I don’t sway from my original plans that I leave
behind with loved ones but the promise of breaking out of the clouds into the sun
was too tempting to pass up. Here is my problem though, I have the WORST short
term memory, and even though the gentlemen explained where to turn and what to
look for to me I already forgot once I got onto the Boulder Garden Loop Trail.
Maybe this is why I don’t hike alone? Don’t worry, there was no disaster to be
had today.  |
| Which way!? |
I figure if I don’t find the unmarked turnoff for the old
trail I can just do the Boulder Garden loop and then go up Little Si when I
return around. As I climbed on the vacant trail it was a little spooky heading
into the fog, a bright red headed woodpecker startled me as it noisily flew around
the brush in front of me. Eventually I ran into a fellow hiker coming from a
dead end while on the loop. Turns out we were both looking for the old Mt Si
trail. “Microsoft” from Bothell kindly let me tag along for the journey up. Iffy choice #2….following a complete stranger into the mountains swallowed
in fog on trails no one else went. >_< It was all good, the company was
nice and I was happy to not be alone. I hope I wasn’t too bothersome though!
Between both our GPS’ we followed the old trail, obviously
not used often as the trail itself was covered in moss. Although we could see
tracks showing people have gone through there recently, maybe this was the way
those gentlemen from the beginning went? I’m pretty sure we weren’t on the
exact trail we wanted to be, but it was a nice walk and we eventually met up
with the right trail. After verifying with some other hikers on their way down
if this was the correct path we continued up to Mt Si on the old trail. Finally
seeing other hikers alone probably proved we finally made it the right way!
The grade up until now was nice, but now we had to start
climbing. Not as tough as Mailbox was a couple weeks ago but still very steep!
So glad to have my poles with me this time. It was amazing when we broke
through the fog, you could actually see the cloud line through the trees.
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| Leaving the fog behind |
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| Merging of trails |
There were only a handful of hikers on our trail, and in just the ¾ miles
the trail was one there were dozens and large groups. This is more like what I
was expecting, the crowds. Lots of people resting in the boulders that made up
the last stretch of the trail. And what a view….of cloud ocean! We went around
to the other side where the true summit (at the benches as some ladies on trail
explained) and Haystack is.
You can scramble up Haystack although it looks
dangerously high. If some friends
decide to come hike with me over here we can try! There was a group at the base of
Haystack, looked like they were getting ready to climb it, but soon packed up and headed down the mountain. 
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| Rainier in the distance |
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| Camp robber stalker |
Here Microsoft and I went our own way. Thanks for the
company! Relaxing in the warm sunshine made it so worth changing plans and
coming up to Big Si. The view was surreal, you couldn’t tell there was city
below, it was just a vast ocean of clouds with peaks of the surrounding
mountains poking through.
Finally checking my GPS I had gone 3.77 miles in 2.21 hours
with 1:56 hours moving time and the elevation noted at 3874’.
I hung out for another half hour around the summit, taking
pictures from different sides. I couldn’t get enough of this view! I felt so
far away from everything up here…besides all the people of course, but with all
the nooks and crannies to hang out in it wasn’t like everyone was all sitting
together anyways.
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| You can see the fog line! |
At 5.09 miles I came to the junction for the Boulder Garden
Loop/Mt Si trail. There were two ways to go (three counting the trail I just
came down) hmm…which way do I go!? Since it was the loop it didn’t really
matter which way I chose, but I was ready to get out of this fog! I went right
and headed down the Boulder Garden trail for 2 more miles, according to Garmin,
to the trailhead. I stayed behind a family for quite a while until the end,
declining their offer to pass not only to keep a nice slower pace….but I admit
it was nice being near people. WOW, that fog must have creeped me out because
usually I want to get away from the people!  |
| Bunny @ parking lot |
Back at the TH the main parking lot had cleared out some so
there were open spaces but the lot I parked in seemed to fill up some. 3:30
when I opened up my car. My stats below:
Total Miles 7.1
Total Time: 4:28
Moving Time: 3:22
Still Time: 1:05
Stopped by Snoqualmie Falls on the way home. Didn’t go on
the newly finished path to the lower viewpoint, though. Also saw a herd of elk on the way.
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| Elk herd in field |
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| Snoqualmie Falls |
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