Awesome day to hike, got great view of mount rainier

The second consecutive 80 degree day in mid May promised torrents of Si trail travelers.  I arrived at the trailhead around 7:30 with the intent of beating some of the crowd. The half-full lot boasted a pod of Toyotas, flotilla of Fords, shiver of Chevys, school of Subarus, a brown Datsun and was filling fast. 

Surprisingly most trail traffic dissipated 1.5 miles in.  Moments of solitude punctuated the din of portable speakers and the conversations of others.  A couple conversations stood out: 

• Californians hike in Chacos (without socks).
• A dating app “match” with a member of the Blue Öyster Cult fan club ended poorly when the fellow patronizingly advised that men who pay for dinner may expect something in return. It didn’t sound like she was burnin’ for him.
• When someone drinks too much, vomits on others, and passes out, real friends don’t laugh.

The open talus slope at the end-but-really-isn’t-the-end freckled with varicolored bodies basking in the eastern sun like some pod of seals.  I found an open rock, watered, and joined in the basking. But Haystack awaited. In the 5 times I’ve hiked Si, never have I pushed to the true summit.  My previous endeavors disallowed venturing up—bound by time or weather.   This day warranted the excursion.  

I wound my way to the western overlook and encountered a memorial marker.  Brett Hall died at age 19 on a January day on or near the mountain.  From here I found the wooded trail that led to the eastern face of Haystack. This steep scramble demands risk. The thought of the memorial stone and my wife and three children imbued each move of my scramble to the peak with caution.  No route proved favorable over any other up to the saddle.  The last 25 feet or so tracks a single line.  Although comparatively easy, the exposure cautions against haste.  

The views rewarded the risk.  Visibility was encumbered only by the power of the lenses one carried and the curvature of the earth.  To the east Mailbox Peak provided bearing.  Mt. Rainier dominated the southern horizon.  Nearer, Rattlesnake Ledge, and the radio towers of Tiger Mountain.  The Puget Sound lowlands spilled out westward, backed by the Olympics.  To the north, Mt. Baker.  Beyond Baker, the hazy white peaks of Canada’s Coast Mountains testified to the clarity of the air.  Below, seals washed up in waves.  

The descent from Haystack felt quick relative to the ascent despite the heavy oncoming traffic.  Seeing the masses of people still pouring up from the trail, I chose to try the Si via Teneriffe Connector.  This jaunt intercepts the Teneriffe trail and connects with the Talus Loop.  From Si on down, the young timber and undergrowth work to mend the scars from the forest’s most recent harvest.  Originally built for vehicular use, this path eases lengthy grades where Si steps up and switches back.  The Talus Loop section is one to repeat.  From the top to the lot, twelve people passed.  Today I took the road less traveled by and it made all the difference.

At the trailhead, two teams of Search and Rescue idled, hoping their services wouldn't be needed.  Beyond, the lot sat full--SUVs, sedans, wagons, trucks--most adorned with a sticker declaring some form of political allegiance.  It is heartening to know that despite affiliation, access to the outdoors unites all.  

Amazing day for a hike! Could see Mt Rainer in full view. Trail was pretty crowded, but it is sunny & a holiday (expected).

TLDR: Trail’s in great shape, the parking lot is not, and please don’t feed the birds.

Partook in my seasonal schlep up Mt Si this Thursday, and the trail was in fine shape. So beautiful were the conditions that many a brave folk were up on the haystack. Less fine was the turn into the parking lot. A real nice rattling of the bones.

At the summit, I watched as a couple bravely defended their sandwich from Canada Jays dive-bombing them for a taste. Please don’t feed the birds—it conditions them to think humans have food for them and they’ll start aggressively attacking for it, as this couple had to endure.

Parking: Large lot, only about 5-10% full on a Thursday morning. Discovery Pass required. The loo was serviceable, and stocked with TP.

Hiked the Mount Si trail to the Connector over to the Teneriffe Road and down, exiting at the Teneriffe Trailhead. Husband and dog had dropped me at main Si Trailhead, then met me at Snag Flats by hiking Teneriffe to main Si via Roaring Creek. More water for the dog that way.

My stats for this one-way version of a Mount Si ramble were about 10 miles and 3200 feet of gain. His were about 11 miles and 3400 gain. 

It was a gorgeous Thursday and the main Si trail was pretty busy for a weekday. Lots of people dotted the scrambly little pinnacles above the first rock pile and as we walked up the short wooded section below those an apple core flew from the sky and landed at my feet. Hello? 

We lunched at the Snoqualmie Valley overlook before heading to the base of the Haystack and over the Connector to the Teneriffe Road. There are a few inconsequential patches of snow left on the connector. Dog loved that. Teneriffe Road makes for a long but relatively peaceful descent, again with more water for the dog than main Si. 

Only other comment on conditions: what happened to the nice trail signs? Several were missing including the ones at either end of the Talus loop, and the sign marking the Spring trail that connects Teneriffe Road to Talus loop. We met a couple people who had been thrown off track because of that.