NorthBen, I hope we paid for this because there are proposed plans in the East Snoqualmie Corridor Recreation Planning Area Phase 2 Trail Renovation, unfortunately no longer online. It would be fantastic if this were funded and implemented.
Quote:
Mount Si Trailhead Renovation
Proposed renovation work will involve pavement surfacing and striping an existing approximate 1.57-acre size gravel parking area to improve safety and ensure emergency access. The existing gravel trailhead parking lot has no defined parking spaces, so upwards of 250 cars have been counted parking disorganized into the trailhead and blocking drive aisles. The renovated trailhead will provide approximately 170 clearly delineated parking spaces (including 6 ADA spaces) and drive aisles that are signed "No Parking, Emergency Access". The picnic facilities will be renovated with new picnic tables and provide an area that can be used for staging of volunteer events. The ramp to self- contained outhouses will be rebuilt to be ADA compliant and planted bioretention areas will be constructed to improve management of storm water runoff. DNR will also work with tribes to provide interpretation for Mount Si.
Finally got to enjoy a day of full sun after over two weeks of gloomy clouds, freezing rain, powder snow blizzard, more freezing rain, ice storm, power outage, and the final blow the night before last, another foot of snow, this time Cascade Concrete, the absolute worst! When I woke up to sun this morning I couldn’t wait to hit the trail, er.. logging roads. Not wanting to go anywhere near Highway 2, I chose a network of snowy roads in the Sultan Basin that I knew would provide both solitude and expansive views. Breaking trail was a lot of work, but luck was with us, and we were able to follow an illegal snowmobile track for most of the afternoon which made travel so much easier.
Olney Creek was running high today.
Naughty snowmobile made life easier for us.
Nice views higher up.
Interesting jet trails.
Lengthening shadows signal that it’s time for the long walk back.
My partner and I did a loop up to West Tiger 1, 2, & 3 from the High Point Trailhead and the east/northeast side of Tiger Mountain was not very fun today.
From High Point to Dwight's Way the trail was wet but snow free and we passed a couple WTA work crews dealing with some mud. (Thank you <3) Once we got on Dwight's Trail things were mostly snow covered and there were many blowdowns. We crossed a few dozen from there and continuing on the Preston Trail until we reached the Bootleg Trail. They mostly stopped at that point but were replaced with tons of standing water and high running creeks.
The bootpath we were following until then disappeared at the railroad grade and we basically broke trail from there until we topped out on West Tiger 1. Plunge stepping the whole way. Once we left the tree line the snow was more than waist deep and very soft. Not fun. Check out our splits. Mile 4 took over an HOUR. It was not a fun hour.
Once we reached the summit the snow was pretty consolidated and by time we made it to WT2 things mostly went from snowy to muddy. But the views were some of the best I've ever seen in the Issaquah area.
After we ducked back in the trees at WT3 it was lights out so we donned our headlamps. Things were icy for a while but switched to mud again after we dropped a thousand feet or so. My girlfriend told me she needs a hiking hiatus until the snow is gone. I can't say I blame her.
No helmet, just a beanie and headlamp. But if I had gone down cable line at in all that slush, a helmet wouldn't have been a bad idea We came up that way and headlamped down WT3.
Hiked up the road from the picnic area on Steptoe Butte to the summit. Did a bit of cross country from the spiral road to make it shorter. Had hoped to snowshoe but the road was plowed though drifts cover it deeply higher up. Saw a sedan race up the road only to be stopped long before the top. I could spot a Subaru just beyond this car that looked like it was stuck but maybe they just drove as far as they could go.
On Jan 14 and 17 we hiked up the Rattlesnake Ledges . . . first hikes in months - test driving new knee. Nice clear views. Very nice drive. Great to be hiking again and great to run into Puzzlr & friends on the 14th.
View up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Rattlesnake Ledges
View up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Rattlesnake Ledges
View up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Rattlesnake Ledges . . . labeled
View up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Rattlesnake Ledges
View up the Middle Fork Snoqualmie valley from Rattlesnake Ledges . . . labeled
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Now I Fly, zimmertr, RichP
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Not wanting to go anywhere near Highway 2, I chose a network of snowy roads in the Sultan Basin that I knew would provide both solitude and expansive views. Breaking trail was a lot of work, but luck was with us, and we were able to follow an illegal snowmobile track for most of the afternoon which made travel so much easier.
We came up that way and headlamped down WT3.
