Mount Si? Never heard of it.
I got to the trailhead at 9 AM. Surprisingly, the parking lot was less than half full. This is remarkable for a sunny Thanksgiving weekend, where I found occasional bursts of solitude.
Another pleasant surprise: most of the blowdowns from the recent storms have been cleared. The trail is impeccably maintained, with very few muddy areas. The snow begins above 3,000 feet, which is navigable without spikes – just be careful.
I reached the false peak just past 11 AM. I lounged there for a good hour enjoying some coffee and the album Peripheral Vision by Turnover. I shared the summit with a dozen other hikers.
I made it back to the parking lot after 3 PM, exhausted and with blisters. Now would be a good time to make a typical joke about how Mount Si is harder than Everest.
My watch clocked in exactly eight miles round trip with 3,190 feet of elevation gain. Average moving pace of 24 minutes per mile.
Mount Si is the traditional & cultural land of the Snoqualmie peoples, and all Coast Salish tribes. As a visitor, I am grateful for their stewardship of the land since time immemorial. I’m humbled by the resilience of the First Peoples and the land itself.
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