Mount Si, Talus Loop — Sunday, May. 12, 2024

The second consecutive 80 degree day in mid May promised torrents of Si trail travelers.  I arrived at the trailhead around 7:30 with the intent of beating some of the crowd. The half-full lot boasted a pod of Toyotas, flotilla of Fords, shiver of Chevys, school of Subarus, a brown Datsun and was filling fast. 

Surprisingly most trail traffic dissipated 1.5 miles in.  Moments of solitude punctuated the din of portable speakers and the conversations of others.  A couple conversations stood out: 

• Californians hike in Chacos (without socks).
• A dating app “match” with a member of the Blue Öyster Cult fan club ended poorly when the fellow patronizingly advised that men who pay for dinner may expect something in return. It didn’t sound like she was burnin’ for him.
• When someone drinks too much, vomits on others, and passes out, real friends don’t laugh.

The open talus slope at the end-but-really-isn’t-the-end freckled with varicolored bodies basking in the eastern sun like some pod of seals.  I found an open rock, watered, and joined in the basking. But Haystack awaited. In the 5 times I’ve hiked Si, never have I pushed to the true summit.  My previous endeavors disallowed venturing up—bound by time or weather.   This day warranted the excursion.  

I wound my way to the western overlook and encountered a memorial marker.  Brett Hall died at age 19 on a January day on or near the mountain.  From here I found the wooded trail that led to the eastern face of Haystack. This steep scramble demands risk. The thought of the memorial stone and my wife and three children imbued each move of my scramble to the peak with caution.  No route proved favorable over any other up to the saddle.  The last 25 feet or so tracks a single line.  Although comparatively easy, the exposure cautions against haste.  

The views rewarded the risk.  Visibility was encumbered only by the power of the lenses one carried and the curvature of the earth.  To the east Mailbox Peak provided bearing.  Mt. Rainier dominated the southern horizon.  Nearer, Rattlesnake Ledge, and the radio towers of Tiger Mountain.  The Puget Sound lowlands spilled out westward, backed by the Olympics.  To the north, Mt. Baker.  Beyond Baker, the hazy white peaks of Canada’s Coast Mountains testified to the clarity of the air.  Below, seals washed up in waves.  

The descent from Haystack felt quick relative to the ascent despite the heavy oncoming traffic.  Seeing the masses of people still pouring up from the trail, I chose to try the Si via Teneriffe Connector.  This jaunt intercepts the Teneriffe trail and connects with the Talus Loop.  From Si on down, the young timber and undergrowth work to mend the scars from the forest’s most recent harvest.  Originally built for vehicular use, this path eases lengthy grades where Si steps up and switches back.  The Talus Loop section is one to repeat.  From the top to the lot, twelve people passed.  Today I took the road less traveled by and it made all the difference.

At the trailhead, two teams of Search and Rescue idled, hoping their services wouldn't be needed.  Beyond, the lot sat full--SUVs, sedans, wagons, trucks--most adorned with a sticker declaring some form of political allegiance.  It is heartening to know that despite affiliation, access to the outdoors unites all.