So, this was an adventure. Didn't summit any peaks, but went around all of the West Tigers. Started out on the Rainier Trail from Downtown Issaquah, going to start out towards Poo Poo Point Trail. Get on the High School Trail, and a blowdown within the first 0.1 miles. This was recent, as it wasn't present on a trip to Poo Poo Point a couple weeks prior to this trip, so maybe it will be cleared by the time you hike this who knows. Rest of the High School Trail is in good condition, as is the Poo Poo Point Trail up to the new junction with the One View Trail.
If you haven't hiked this trail since Spring 2021 or earlier, the Poo Poo Point trail has changed. After you cross the second bridge, they fixed the existing trail to make for less dangerous inclines, but more noticeable than that is the trail no longer goes up to the junction with the West Tiger RR grade at about 1900 feet. Instead, a new trail was created about 1650 feet or so that continues to Poo Poo Point. However, I was not going to Poo Poo Point, and thus had no reason to stop there. There are signs indicating which trail you're on, and please note it looks like horses are no longer permitted on the Poo Poo Point trail at any time, but always be on the lookout. I went to Poo Poo Point two weeks prior, so I can say the new trail is a big improvement to the trail it replaced, especially the now deleted portion. It's a lot more safe and should help minimize crowding at the Chirico Trailhead since this one is a lot more accessible now.
But I wanted more, so I continued up the One View Trail. The first part is essentially replacing the deleted poo poo point trail, so it's the same as the old trails. Once I left the Poo Poo Point trail, it became a lot less crowded and people were scarce. There was obvious erosion on the One View Trail, so be watchful for that. Also, the trail from the West Tiger RR grade is still open, but the connection to Poo Poo Point is closed. Don't do it. Go down to the new junction instead. As I approached the Tiger Mountain Trail, there's the Fifteen Mile Gap, which is what I'll be following as I swing from the south of the tigers to the north.
Shortly after, is the intersection with the Tiger Mountain Trail. This is as far north you can go on this trail before it closes down due to logging activity. Please respect closure signs.
Shortly after continuing South on the TMT, I ran into the junction with the Hidden Forest Trail. Left takes you to Tiger Mountain Trail and then to the Poo Top Trail, which leads nowhere because of the aforementioned logging closure. So don't do that. Right takes you down to the 15 Mile RR grade, but that's a bad idea because it's hard to follow the trail from here. I'll join the trail later. Continue on the TMT, and it's beautiful here. a nice big rock on your left (or right if you're going the other way). Shortly after, we join the 15 Mile RR grade, take a left there. If you want Middle or South Tiger, stay on this trail. In the WTA guides, past Custer's Bridge which is 0.1 mile from the TMT / 15 Mile RR Grade junction, the Tiger Mountain Trail - South is what describes your hike.
This is just about as far from any trailhead as you can get. It's probably at least six miles to ANY of the trailheads in the system, so beware of that if you go this way. From downtown Issaquah it seems a lot longer than that and it would be a long walk around and back.
So i started going North to the Paw Print Rest stop, which apparently used to have an outhouse, and before that picnic tables, but those have long been removed, before my unposted trip a year ago going the opposite direction.
Paw Print Connector has streams instead of trails especially close to the Bootleg trail. At the junction of the Bootleg trail you have a decision to make. You can either go down (right) the Bootleg trail and then use the Preston and Dwights Way trail to get you back to civilization or you can go up (left) the bootleg trail and take the Preston Trail, West Tiger RR grade and the TMT back to safety.
So I wound up taking the bootleg / Preston Trail down, and Dwight's Way. I should have taken the TMT over, even though I know it would have added about 700 or so feet more elevation gain. I still would have taken the bootleg down and such but this would have gotten me back on a more familiar trail and exited at a safer spot, which I wound up going to anyway because i needed to walk back to downtown Issaquah. It was a long day. But I made it!
Hopefully the West Tigers will clear up at some point, I hear West Tiger 3 might be accessible but West Tiger 1 definitely is NOT.
My next hike I want to do East Tiger which will likely see me going up the TMT and a lot of the same trails I was on this past Saturday. I hear the logging activity south of the Middle Tiger Trail and on the East Tiger Trail from Paw Print connector has been completed and officially reopened to hiking, so thats tempting.
EDIT: I forgot to mention, there was no snow on any of the trails I was on, but lots of streams, especially on the North slopes of the West Tigers.
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