A Siger is what happens when you combine two very popular training hikes in one day. A masochists dream with over 5,000 feet of elevation gain in a day it is also my favorite animal!
Mt Si is a very popular hike just East of Seattle and has been used as a training hike for climbers who want to get into or stay in shape for climbing big mountains for years. In the summer the trail heads are packed with hikers of of all sizes and shapes who trudge to the top of this roughly 4,000 foot mountain.
The Haystack
In the Winter it is filled with a little more hardcore folks, Hikers and climbers who take advantage of easy access and safe snow conditions loaded down with packs that sometimes weigh over 40 pounds they work on the fitness they need to climb the big mountains. The old trail is much less traveled in the Summer time, but in the Winter when mostly experienced hikers are out here it seems to get a better share of people on it. It is a little steeper, a little prettier and a little bit less known than the new trail.
Snag along the old Si trail
The Enchanted Valley
Tiger mountain is a series of sub-alpine mountains with a vast network of trails leading to and around it's many summits. The hike to West Tiger 3 is a very popular hike with several trail to it's summit. The cable line is an unmaintained trail that goes virtually straight up the mountain with no switchbacks. A classic training hike where you can knock out 2,000 feet of elevation gain in a short amount of time.
I have been itching to do this for the last few weeks and took advantage of a slow work week to do it last Wednesday. Because I needed to be back in the city before 4:00 pm I opted to start very early at about 5:00 am. I know the trail well so hiking it in the dark with a headlamp was not a problem, but it was a little creepy. I often listen to music when I hike solo but hiking by yourself in the dark and being cut off from your sense of hearing is too weird for me. I kept the tunes off until after the sun came up.
Icy Shrub and Grey Jay Atop Mt. Si
I was treated to rain, snow, hail and a little sun on this trip. All in a days work I suppose. On the hike down I ran into a group of friends hiking up once again proving my happy theory that I am more likely to run into my friends in the mountains than in the city!
Mt. Rainier from Mt Si
The hike up Tiger mountain was nice as the weather had finally settled into a pretty nice day. I hiked a nice loop up the cable line and back down the West Tiger 3 trail and somehow resisted the urge to hike over to West Tiger 2 and bag another summit.
Winter Wonderland on West Tiger 3
What is next? Mount Si Box Peak? Mount Tennesiger? Mount Si Siger 2&3?
We shall see!
