Mount Si — Saturday, May. 13, 2000

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

Started up Mt. Si at three in the afternoon and arrived at the Haystack at five after five to good clear views to the west, even the Space Needle was visible. While relaxing and enjoying the view I noticed a slow moving cloud coming in from the east, the cloud did not look particularly threatening but soon a few large drops of rain began to fall. So I packed up and started down, after about a quarter of a mile there was a flash followed a few seconds later by thunder. So I picked up my pace not wanting to be near the summit during a thunderstorm. After about a mile I saw a flash out of the corner of my eye followed immediately by the crash of thunder! The flash was down slope from my position so I began to jog down the Mt. After turning the next switch back I came up to a large old snag that was right beside the trail all blown to chunks and splinters. I found later the lighting had struck the snag about 50 feet in front of a couple of people. Luckly no one was hurt. So Mt. Si can be very Exciting!!!!! PS: the trail is in good shape.