Mount Si — Saturday, Dec. 29, 2001

Snoqualmie Region > North Bend Area

As reported last week, there is a combination of ice and snow on the trail from just about Mile Post 3. While a lot of people were doing it in sneakers and boots, after about two switchbacks worth, I donned (in the deck the hall spirit of things) my instep crampons and happily just walked rather than slid my way up to the basin and then the bench near the Haystack saddle. Folks use care up there. A woman was trying to retrieve packs tossed off the haystack and got stranded on some cliffs on the backside of the Haystack. A guy helped her back to the trail. It was sunny but quite breezy in the basin. Got more windy as the day wore on. The insteps really helped on the way down. I know the guy behind me fell about 4 times, at least. The usual muddy places and crowds later in the day.