After slacking off a bit around the new year with some easy local hikes, I
decide it's time for some elevation. The weather forecast is for dry weather,
which is a treat after what seems like weeks of rain over the holidays. I make a
plan to climb Mount Si, which I haven't done in almost 20 years. With COVID
still going strong, I decide to take the old Mount Si trail to get some more
solitude. While unmarked, this trail is hardly obscure - it seems like half of
the people who post trip reports are doing it this way. Still, it
will be a new way to the top for me, and if the conditions are right, I might
even be able to climb "the haystack" to the true summit. I have climbed Mount Si
at least three times before, but have only been up the haystack once.
I set out from the Little Si trailhead at about 9:45, after a morning dental
appointment. It's actually quite warm and dry, though I'm prepared for anything
at the top. At the second intersection on the trail I turn right toward the
"Boulder Garden". This is a lovely loop trail that sounds interesting, and I'm
not quite what to expect from these "boulders". After climbing up a stream bed for a
while, I enter the edge of the boulder garden, and it's really impressive. The boulders are actually massive, some of them two and three stories tall, and
they are covered in moss and ferns. This part of the trail is just a taste of the garden - I veer uphill onto the old Mount Si trail proper just as
the boulders are getting started. I look forward to completing the loop on my
way back down.
The path is in great condition for a trail that has been abandoned for
decades. I suspect it still gets a lot of use, though probably a very small
fraction of the crowds on the normal trail. It goes steadily upward, as expected
- I'm shooting for about 3500' of elevation gain today and this trail only takes
3.5 miles to get to the top. I pass more people than I expected on a Thursday
morning - probably about 20 people heading down. I suspect many of them were
anxious to get out on the trail after so much poor weather. In about two hours
from the car, I reach the junction with the main trail, just a bit below the
summit. As is usual for Mount Si, it seems like you never see the summit until
you're right there.
I see a bit of snow and then, all of a sudden, I have reached the rocky viewpoint on the south of the mountain, which I remember from all my previous visits. The panorama is mesmerizing, and
includes Mailbox Peak, Mount Washington, and Mount Rainier in the distance, and
North Bend far below. There are some other people here, but probably under a dozen -
on a sunny summer weekend there might be a hundred or more. With the
south-facing slope and some recent rain, there is plenty of exposed rock among
the snow, and it's not hard to pick my way upward. Many people stop here, but
even if you don't go up the haystack, it's well worth the short hike to see the
other side of it.
I take a few minutes to peek over the west side toward the Snoqualmie Valley.
Unfortunately, it's not quite as sunny as I had hoped, but the high clouds still allow
me to see the tops of all the nearby and distant peaks, including those in the
Olympics. Downtown Bellevue and Seattle can be seen, as can Lake Washington. I
keep heading up the trail toward the haystack. The snow is deeper here - about a
foot on the sides of the trail, but a boot path makes the way obvious. At a
wooden bench, I take a left toward the short climber's path that leads to the
haystack. One other solo hiker is just ahead of me and he appears to be heading
to check it out as well. As I recall, it's a tricky
Class 3 scramble, and I imagine it's not something one should attempt in ice or snow.
The south face of the haystack is all snow-free, but the route up is on the back
side, which faces northeast. It actually looks mostly free of the white stuff,
but still looks daunting, and steeper than I remember it. The climber ahead of me - I've stopped thinking of
us as "hikers" at this point - is about 20 feet above. I yell up "how does it
look?" and his reply is "it's steep!" The rock is not icy due to the warm
weather, and so far it seems easy enough to avoid the snow areas, so I decide
it's worth the old college try to get up it. As I pick my way up the rock, there
are some pretty tricky sections and the guy ahead of me shouts something about
wondering how hard it might be going down.
At this point, I'm about 50 feet up and I turn around to look down. I'm not
normally afraid of heights, but the view downward is definitely scaring me,
and I think to myself "climbing this now is a really dumb idea." After taking a
few deep breaths to calm my nerves, I carefully turn around and start back
down. Going down is definitely scarier - I'm going down literally on the seat
of my pants, seeing the big drop-off right in front of me. Fortunately, I make
it to the bottom with nothing but a wet seat and a massive feeling of relief. I hope
the other guy ahead of me will be OK - I lost sight of him around a corner.
This does not seem like a good day to be attempting the true summit!
I take a quick jaunt up the connector trail toward Mount Teneriffe, hoping
there is a view of something. After a couple minutes, I reach a knoll and it's
entirely tree-covered, so no luck other than one peek-a-boo view of Mount Baker to the north. Back at the main trail, I run across the climber who was
ahead of me. He said he turned around before reaching the top as well, and I'm
glad to see he's OK. We chat for a while about the different trail routes down
from the top. Mount Si is nice because there are maps posted everywhere, and
there are plenty of ways to make loop hikes if you're looking for
more distance. I stop for lunch at a really nice bench
overlooking the Snoqualmie Valley. As usual, the gray jays swarm me, but I manage to fend them off - one keeps landing on my boot looking for a
handout. I snap quite a few pictures and then start the hike back down, feeling proud of myself. This hike is the most elevation gain I have done
in many years. Onward and upward!
The return hike is fairly uneventful, but doesn't go as fast as I expect due to
the steepness of the trail - I only manage to shave off about 20 minutes from
my uphill time. Probably more impactful is a major problem I'm having with my
new boots - the top of the right boot is pressing against the back of my ankle
in a very painful way. Nonetheless, I must make it down and I look forward to
the scenery. The second half of the boulder garden loop is really
awe-inspiring and like something out of a fantasy world. I highly recommend
this trail for those who are unwilling to tackle Mount Si or Little Si, but
still want a bit of a workout and some cool scenery. I'm really curious about
how all these huge rocks ended up here.
Passing a few more giant rocks right next to the road, I make it back to the
car, another adventure safely completed. I have always considered Mount Si
to be a bit of a nemesis, or at least a very uninteresting and far too long
trail that was also extremely crowded. My new-found love of the ways less
travelled - or at less-travelled times, perhaps - has shown that even the
most popular hike in Seattle can be a fun one. It may not have any
lakes, or even any waterfalls, but Mount Si makes up for it with amazing
views, and a real sense of accomplishment that one is reminded of on every
drive up I-90. And it's definitely doable in the winter without ever being
dangerous, give or take one scary haystack!
Stats
Time: 5 hours
Distance: 7.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 3500'
Summits: Mount Si (not counting The Haystack!)
Photos and Videos
360° Photo: Mount Si south viewpoint
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