A beautiful day for our first Tiger hike in a while: My hiking buddy Blue Towel and I took the High Point exit off I-90 and parked by the white gate at the east end. A short walk east on the old paved road brought us to the High Point Trail (HPT.) We followed the HPT to Dwight's Way to the Preston Trail to the Bootleg Trail. We elected for a very leisurely day, taking the Bootleg just past its intersection with the Paw Print Connector to reach the Christmas tree, where we stopped for a snack before returning via the same route. We enjoyed the mossy forest and the first few wildflowers of the season: Lots of yellow violets and a few salmonberry blossoms; some skunk cabbage and coltsfoot; a single, quite small, red current bush and a single Oregon grape; and the first two trilliums we've seen this year.

A few observations on the trails: generally, they were in good shape, moist, occasionally soft, but rarely muddy (by Northwest standards.) The first part of the HPT, just beyond the pond, is being reworked, adding a switchback to eliminate the initial steep section (work in progress.) Further along, near the first of the old electrical boxes, another section of the HPT has been rerouted to avoid a steep, sometimes muddy, section. Part way up the Bootleg trail, two motorbikes recently had entered from the Preston side, leaving frequent and unfortunate scars to mark their passing. Near the Christmas tree, a trace of snow remained in shady areas off the trail.

On this beautiful day, we had the trails and the tree all to ourselves, and saw a few other hikers and pooches only near the parking area.

It was the shortest day of the year, and appropriately chilly and gray on Tiger Mountain. Snow dusted the mountain down to 1000 feet. To celebrate the winter solstice, I did a long loop hike starting at the Tradition Lake trailhead, using parts of the Tiger Mountain Trail, K3, West Tiger RR Grade, Preston Trail, Poo Top, Hidden Forest, One View, and Poo Poo Point trails. There was little accumulation of snow even at the top of West Tiger I. In general, trail conditions were good and the hiking problem-free everywhere on Tiger.

Here are more details on the trail conditions that I found...

TMT from Tradition Lake to K3 junction.

Highlights: beautiful maturing 2nd growth forest, small waterfalls and creeks, steep canyons and fern-draped rocks at head of High Point Creek.

Condition: good, mud holes near beginning of trail, some sections of narrow slumped tread on the steep climb beyond Cable Line, a section of slumped tread past the big bridges.

K3 Trail:

Highlights: beautiful maturing 2nd growth forest.

Condition: good, though steep and narrow.

W Tiger RR Grade from K3 to Preston Tr:

Highlights: historic logging RR grade and campsite , the landslide, some limited views, cascading creeks.

Condition: good. path across landslide needs work.

Preston Trail to summit of W Tiger I:

Highlights: beautiful old 2nd growth forest.

Condition: good, a bit of snow on trail, drain dips need work. Oversteep stretch near Bootleg junction could use reroute with switchbacks.

Poo Top Trail:

Highlights: Silver firs, limited views, a fun hike along a ridge crest.

Condition: good, steep narrow tread in places, needs switchbacks added in a few spots. Bike tracks on trail.

Hidden Forest Trail from top to TMT:

Condition: good, steep, needs reroute with switchbacks.

One View Trail:

Highlights: beautiful maturing 2nd growth forest.

Condition: good, trail from the TMT to the top of the next hill is narrow, steep, and rooty, needs work.

Poo Poo Point Trail:

Highlights: beautiful forest with huge old growth trees (rare on Tiger) above Many Creeks Valley, The big creek and bridge.

Condition: good. Oversteep sections above Many Creeks Valley needs reroute with switchbacks. Drainage (dips and waterbars) on the lower portion of the trail urgently needs repair. One bad blowdown blocks trail.

Rambled various trails on Tiger today, starting from the little-used Preston DOT trailhead. Here is the rundown on trail conditions:

Preston Trail, DOT trailhead and utility line section

The section of the Preston Trail that follows the power line corridor is still hard to walk on, due to the rocks they dumped on it to pave over the mud. The walking gets better after about a third of a mile. A directional sign is missing where the trail coming from the DOT trailhead first joins the power line corridor. This is a problem because you could miss the turnoff if you are returning to the DOT trailhead. Pink flagging currently marks the turnoff point. The trail at this turnoff point is too steep and could be improved.

Preston Trail, Utility line corridor to Dwights Way junction:

The point where the Preston Trail leaves the power line corridor is now well marked. There's a new bike and horse barrier installed here. The trail from here is old-school Tiger quality, narrow and steep in places. Lovely old second growth forest to see. Higher up, the trail follows an old logging road that in the past suffered from runoff and erosion problems. Nowadays, the drainage on the trail has been greatly improved and the various drainage features are working well.

Preston Trail, Dwights Way jct to Bootleg Trail jct:

Trail is in good shape. In the past, runoff and erosion were out of control here, but the situation is far better now. Drainage dips are working well (they look like they were recently maintained). I noticed the recent track of a rogue mountain bike that had ridden down the trail, something I have not seen before here. This sort of activity could quickly destroy the tread of the trail if it occurs unchecked--skidding bike wheels wreak havoc on trail surfaces and make mincemeat of water bars.

Bootleg Trail, from Preston Trail junction to Fifteen Mile Pass:

I like this old school Tiger trail; it travels through quiet and remote country. In fair enough shape, though steep in places. There are some muddy areas that could use some work. The rogue biker came down here, skidding and churning up mud as he went.

Bootleg Trail, Fifteen Mile Pass to Preston Tr junction:

This trail is steep in places as it climbs toward W Tiger I, and could use drainage work. Someone spray-painted orange spots on the trees to mark the trail. The spots are ugly and should be removed. Old bike tracks here, too. The trail's tread become narrow and slumped as it traverses toward the Preston Trail junction--needs work. There is slushy snow on the trail above 2500'. I would rate this trail as in "fair" condition.

Preston Trail, Bootleg junction to W Tiger RR Grade Junction:

Several inches of slushy snow cover parts of the trail higher up. Drain dips need clearing. Excessively steep section near the top ought to be rerouted with switchbacks. Overall, the trail is in decent shape.

W Tiger RR Grade from Preston Trail to K3 Trail:

Rebuilt part of the trail east of Freds Corner is in great shape. West of the Corner the trail is also in good shape, though narrow and overgrown by ferns in places. A bypass trail has been built across the massive landslide at the head of High Point Creek. The bypass trail's tread has slumped and could use work.

K3 Trail to Tiger Mountain Trail:

Though officially "unmaintained", it is in decent shape. Steep.

Tiger Mountain Trail from K3 to High Point Trail:

No notable problems except for the bridge across High Point Creek, which has not been repaired after being damaged by a flash flood/ debris flow. A sign says to keep off the sadly listing bridge, though hikers are using it anyway. Crossing the damaged bridge is preferable to fording raging High Point Creek.

Dwight's Way:

A narrow, twisty, old-school trail. No notable problems. The forest is the show here: though it is second growth, the forest has not been logged in a century and is starting to take on the characteristics of an old growth forest.

This week's cold snap would be respectable for mid-winter. For mid-March, it is astoundingly cold. I enjoyed a long ramble on Tiger Mountain despite the snow that blanketed the mountain from top to bottom. From High Point Creek, I hiked various trails and roads to the top of West Tiger I, then returned via West Tiger II and a different set of trails. It was pure wintery bliss on Tiger today. Here is the rundown on trail conditions:

High Point Creek Trail to Dwight's Way junction:

Muddy and partially snow covered, otherwise in good condition.

Dwight's Way:

Up to a foot of snow on the trail , otherwise in good condition.

Preston Trail to Bootleg Junction:

Deep snow...use gaiters to keep snow out of your boots. Otherwise the trail is in good condition.

Bootleg Trail to 15 Mile Pass and Paw Print Rest Stop:

Extremely deep snow, trail hard to follow higher up, although my tracks should make navigation easier. Snowshoes might be helpful. Fallen logs have been removed from the trail.

Tiger Mountain Road to summit of West Tiger I:

Deep snow, but you can walk in the tracks of maintenance vehicles most of the way up. Snow depth reaches 2 feet on the ridgetop. Luckily a snowshoer had packed a path to the summit of W Tiger I.

Road route from WTI to W Tiger II:

Packed snow.

West Tiger II trail and Tiger Mountain Trail from summit to K3 Trail:

Packed snow, boot traction aids useful. Free of blowdown.

K3 Trail:

packed snow. Free of blowdown.

TMT from K3 to Highpoint Creek Trail:

Trail closed due to badly damaged bridge over high point creek (which people are using anyway).