Mt. Si is Washington State’s busiest trail, drawing between 30,000-50,000 people every year, thanks to its close proximity to Seattle. The mountain's trails are snow-free early in the Spring season so many folks use it as a training hike for more strenuous adventures later in the Summer. As Chris said: “I’ve never seen so much brand new REI gear outside of the store before”.
It’s also one heck of a steep climb: 3,100 feet of elevation gain in four miles. And for that reason, and because the lure of a Spring Break morning without my darling toddler was simply too great, I elected to sit this one out. So the boys tackled it themselves, armed with a hardy lunch and lots of water.
Randomly, Ben has dubbed Chris and himself ‘The Alligator Boys’. As in: "OK, the Alligator Boys are heading out! We’re off to climb the mighty mountain!”
“We’re” might be a bit generous here. Chris reported Ben walked about 100 feet up the trail, munching on his sandwich, before he decided he’d prefer to ride in the pack. And then he promptly fell asleep.
Despite being snow-free, the trail was muddy and cold. So bring those extra layers. The Alligator Boy in the backpack got pretty chilly. Of course, he wasn’t doing any walking. Chris, the one carrying the 50 pound pack, reported that he was a bit on the warm side!
xo,
Sonja
If You Go: Mt Si
Fees: Discovery Pass
Tips: Consult the trip reports on the WTA website for up-to-date trail information. Also, because this is a busy hike, try to go on a non-weekend day or arrive really early to beat the crowds. Lots of water is a must.
Directions: (From WTA)
From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 32 (436th Avenue SE). Turn left (north) over the freeway and drive 0.5 mile to North Bend Way. Turn left (west), and in 0.25 mile turn right (north) on Mount Si Road. The large trailhead parking lot is on the left, 2.5 miles down the road.
