South Tiger Powerline, Middle Tiger — Monday, Mar. 25, 2013

Issaquah Alps > Tiger Mountain

Parked at Highway 18 south powerline entrance (room for two vehicles). Tiger Mountain trail across Iverson Rd Tr to Artifacts Tr / Train Wreck, Karls Pk, returned via South Tiger lunch spot and summit. Snow at 1" on TMT, but mostly tread down except in shadows. Karls Peak is a mess of clear cutting. I climbed up the northeast side after visiting the train wreck, but the southern trail crosses the road, which permits easier access to the summit. Being unable to find a route from that road to Karls Gap, I turned around (I was expecting the northern bypass to be open, but I suspect it's entirely under fallen trees at this point). The main TMT is directly across the main road shortly west of the Iverson Road Trail; there is a gate on the south side. The trail continues north through an anti-horse barrier that is marked with several ribbons (but very difficult to see). I do not know if the trail around the south side of Karls Pk actually meets with Karls Gap to the north, or if it disappears into the fallen slop after crossing the road. The lunch area on South Tiger seems a place to visit in the winter only, and would likely be overgrown in the summer. There are no views, except of an old hitching post. I'm not sure what lunches upon what up there, but there are some benches available. The South Tiger summit is accessible from the main road. The road around the northeast corner disappears. I climbed up through fallen slop from there, but descended via the footpath and main road. I don't recommend this route. Parking may be more open and available at the west of the powerline trail, on the streets of Hobart somewhere; parking at this location is limited and people on Hwy 18 seem to go about 70mph, so it's difficult to even slow down to look for the gate. The majority of this route is roads, so a bike might be preferable. I spent the bulk of my time getting cut up clamboring through mounds of detritus and spat-out tree parts. Get a map that's less than twelve months old, a compass, GPS, satellite photos, and preferably a live radio-location service, and you should be able to make it up Karls Peak to get views of East Tiger and Mt Rainier.