[Brushwork]

The story is legit. (At least as far as I was told). It happened to someone I know. Briefly: He saw the guys in the parking lot and turned around and decided to go up cable line. The guys followed with their truck. One of the guys followed him up cable line and seemed to keep pace. By this time the guy I know was on the line with LE. He turned on tmt and tried to hide but was followed. He Thought the pursuer stoped because he could see he was on the phone. The guy I know then went straight down through the woods. Guys were gone by the time he got down. Iss police showed up fast but couldn’t take a report because it’s unincorporated and under King co. They showed up later.

[treeswarper]

[neek]

Creepy story. FWIW, I once followed a train of cigarette butts to the top of Pugh.

[Kim Brown]

Some folks on this site are a bit weighty and make it to ridiculous places. Peppersteak can outpace lots of folks; while not weighty and doesn’t smoke, he hikes in sweatshirt and blue jeans, which is equivalent. My parents both were heavy smokers and crawled all over the Rockies. Not very fast, but if they wanted to stalk and murder someone, they could have pulled the lead out. I recall my mom lunging across the room at lightning speed, wanting to wring my neck when I got caught skipping school. I didn't know she had it in her. Surprised the hell out of me. And lookit the guys who got lost up the Bachelor Creek watershed this summer. And here’s another scenario; how about this: the sign is indeed a hoax, and was crafted by someone who doesn’t want the hoards on Cable Line trail. But truly; I think the biggest driver of this unusually paranoid discussion and grammar picking about this particular sign among all other signs depicted on this site is that it coincides with a full moon.

[Kascadia]

[Foist]

[RumiDude]

[Kim Brown]

This could create a whole new genre: Thread-noir.

[Pahoehoe]

I dont get what the offender(s) did to the alleged victim other than make him uncomfortable. Unfortunately, anyone can use public land, even those that seem unsavory. All the note suggests is that a guy hiked the same way as him. I'm not saying it didnt happen or there wasnt ill intent but all that happened was people smoked cigarettes (legal), had a beat up truck (legal), maybe had a knife (legal), and hiked the same way as this guy (legal). I get being uncomfortable by certain types of people or certain actions but if they aren't illegal, there is nothing anyone can do. I'm not into testing my luck so, I would just leave but I also know police cant do anything unless something actually happens. The story definitely could trigger animosity towards a user group from a different user group typical of Seattleites.

[treeswarper]

There was a thread a while ago about a scary guy who was dressed in rigging clothes (which are cotton) and carrying an axe. I think it turned out to be somebody wearing rigging clothes who was going to chop a down tree out of the trail? Best stay away from East Lewis County if scairt of them folks.

[Moose]

I'm a woman and I hike alone fairly often, often to pretty remote places. There have only been two times when I've been seriously creeped out on the trail or at the TH and both were within spitting distance of 90. Once on the Taylor River trail just past Otter Falls (when I was running toward Lake Dorothy / Snoqualmie Lake and I passed a large male hiker who was headed in the opposite direction, but who promptly turned around and started following me back up the trail). The other time was two summers ago, when I parked at Exit 20 for an after-work hike up Cable Line and two guys approached me trying to sell me "their" iPhone because their car was dead and they needed gas money. I said no, obviously, and they got kind of aggressive, even going as far as to stand in front of my car to prevent me from leaving. It's a shame but I haven't been back to Cable Line since. There are plenty of decent trails to run in the area without having to deal with that sh*t.

[Vertec]

FWIW, the same notice is posted at the Mount Pilchuck trailhead.

[Brian R]

[peppersteak'n'ale]

[BigBrunyon]

How do they know these guys are all chain smoking? I could see a situation where even if they are following, they will be out of view for a few moments and maybe going no cig during that time so technically it's not chain smoking it's just heavily smoking. Unless you're closely monitoring their cig use in great detail