As the report said previously, the trail is ice and compact snow from mile 3 on, with patches of dirt here and there. Thought that the old Si trail might have been better so we took that until it met up with the new trail and slipped just as much as others. Poles are required for this hike if you don't want to fall on the ol fanny. VERY WINDY up there. We got up to the top in my record time as I pushed harder then ever to get ready for a Mt Hood climb this weekend, and have been training hard for awhile since the list of peaks is growing for this winter/summer. AtT the base of the Haystack I put on my crampons and got out my ice axe to ascend the ice/snow/rock gulley to the top of the haystack. It was perfect snow for doing this, as I ascended straight up on the left side, but once at the top of the saddle just a few feet from the summit the wind was blowing harder than i can ever remember - my lips were actually flapping in the wind! We decided that we did not want to get blown off so we descended. Not a problem with crampons and an ice axe - might not be fun w/o these tools. Went slow down the upper trail as my wife did not bring crampons. No rain, so it was a nice day :-) scott@nwog.org

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.

After the heavy snows of the last month, I was curious about the condition of one of the best trails for mid-winter conditioning, Mt Si. On this clear but windy and cold day, the trail was in great shape and free of all signs of snow up to 2500'. Beyond that point, the snow became steadily deeper, until by 3000' the trail was hard-packed snow and ice. At the basin below the Haystack, the snow appeared about 3-4' deep, and the steady gusts of wind encouraged only a brief stay, despite the bright sunshine. Because of the heavy traffic on this trail, snow quickly is compacted into ice in the upper portion of the trail. Ski poles and crampons are highly recommended to navigate the icy higher reaches just below the basin. Four-point in-step crampons are the ideal tool for this hike in the winter.

Time for our annual Work-off-the-Turkey hike on Mt Si. As in past years we invited all of our friends and co-workers and at one time it looked like we might have 8 people going....but as we neared Turkey day the various excuses and reasons started flying in so this morning as in past years it was just Mike and I. The first half mile of the trail is very wet. Running and standing water all over the place. There was also a large blowdown that someone thankfully cut up while we were on the trail. Once you get past the half mile mark, the trail is in great shape. A bit damp but very few mud puddles or standing water. We started seeing patches of snow at the 3.5 mile marker. From there to the top the snow gradually increases until there is about an inch or two at the top. Very socked in today so we had no views and with a brisk breeze blowing we stayed long enough to change shirts, have a bite to eat and then headed back down. Lots of people heading up as we made our way back to the parking lot. Happy Thanksgiving to all. See you on the trail. SR

Started kind of early at 730am with a large group for an ""appetite builder"" hike for T-Day. It has been along time since I took the regular trail since I enjoy the old trail by Little Si much more. It was wet, kinda wet, and really wet the whole time. New blow down within the first mile. Reached the summit at 9am to have a sandwich and head back down. Found a couple of way routes that made the descent much quicker - lots of tree and root belays, but lost a ton of elevation quickly. No visibility, but a good workout. scott@nwog.org