Boulder Garden Loop, Douglas Fir, Mount Si, Talus Loop & Roaring Creek — Monday, Nov. 27, 2017

This was a lollipop loop hike on the lower slopes of Mt. Si to check out a new DNR trail and bridge. Began my hike from the Little Si trailhead. Hiked up the Boulder Garden Loop Trail on an old roadbed past some rocks bigger then a three story house. The trail leaves the old road and goes up a couple of switchbacks  to the junction with the Douglas Fir trail. I was now back on a old roadbed for about 1/2 mile to where the new trail took off and was built across a small talus slope, then is was a short distance to meet the Mt. Si trail at a switchback. I hiked up the Si trail to a switchback that has three benches, so took a snack break and talked to a few other hikers. Further up is the junction with the Talus Loop Trail. I took this trail which heads back down to cross the talus slope (no great view today with all the clouds), then down a two switchbacks where the trail is back on another old roadbed. At the next trail junction signed "Mt. Teneriffe 0.1", I hiked the Spring Trail out to the Mount Teneriffe Trail. Some people might get confused by the mileage on the sign as it is 4.8 miles to the summit. I crossed a large creek on the Spring Trail which I was surprised was dried up with all the rain we have had lately. Out at the Mt. Teneriffe Trail, I hiked down hill to the junction with the Roaring Creek Trail. A little beyond the junction is a bridge over Roaring Creek with a nice waterfall to view.

I then hike back up hill a short distance and took the Roaring Creek Trail west bound. DNR had put in a turnpike with a culvert in a boggy area. When I got to the West Fork of Roaring Creek I saw the new DNR steel girder bridge with a wood deck and railings. This replaced where the trail had gone up and down a steep bank to cross the creek. There is also a waterfall at this location. It was now lunch time, so a found a fallen log for a bench. After eating I continued on to the junction with the lower section of the Talus Loop Trail. It was here I met a couple who where on their third hike ever. The had recently moved from Chicago, so I gave them some hiking info. When I got out to the Mt. Si trail, I had to head back up hill to the switchback and the junction with the Douglas Fir Trail. Now it was down hill to the Boulder Garden Loop Trail. When I got to the BGLT I started meeting other hikers heading up to hike the Old Mt. Si Trail to the summit (George had first hiked that trail with his dad and sister way back in 1960 when he was 11). Back down on the old roadbed part of the BGLT at one of the switchbacks I took a short side trail out to a big rock viewpoint. I could see down to the North Bend area, across the valley to Rattlesnake Mtn., Cedar Butte, the west flank of Mt. WA. and many snowy peaks in the background. Then it was down the Little Si Trail to finish the hike. Lucked out with the weather as it only sprinkled a short time while I was on the Talus Loop Trail. The sun even came out as I hiked back on the Douglas Fir Trail. Only saw a few other hikers on this trip. With the new Douglas Fir Trail connecting the Little Si Trail with the main Mt. Si Trail, hikers have another route up the mountain, plus other loops. Check out some of the other less crowded trails. George

For the latest map of the hiking trails on Mt. Si, see the following link to the DNR website for the Mount Si NRCA Trail Map. www.dnr.wa.gov/geo/mountsi.pdf