Rain, rain and more of Seattle's liquid sunshine. You can't let that deter you here or you'll never hike. I only had an afternoon and I thought the rain would keep people away from Mt. Si. But when I arrived at the trailhead, the parkinglot was full. So I opted for the old trail instead.
I had never done the old trail to the top. My only experience with it was when I didn't know there was a new trail. But a serious snowstorm made me backtrack that time without reaching the top. That was 10 years ago and all my subsequent trips were on the new trail.
It's much easier to find now than it was a decade ago. Just take the loop on the Little Si trail and follow the uphill unmarked trail that splits off. The trail is in a very good condition, considering it is not the official trail. There were a couple of wash-outs, but they had a newly beaten path around them. No blowdowns other than one that belongs to the trail. It is steep, very steep. And with all the rain, it was very muddy. But it is also very quiet and presents you with a more natural view of the mountain.
The almost continuous rain kept me from contemplating the beauty for too long. I was thoroughly soaked when I got back down. A beautiful experience richer.
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