Mount Si Hiking

Published on 2003-3-2 by Michael Stanton

Mount Si, March 2, 2003

Kris was going to join me but the soggy rain outside convinced her to stay warm and dry at home. I hadn't even hiked in a month, so I figured I should go for the exercise. I decided to hike the old trail. I have a new reason to like it - the new Little Si trail. It's very nice how it goes steeply up along a rocky slope above the parking lot, providing views of the neighborhood along the river. Is there any better start to a trail in the I-90 corridor? Methinks not. I kept my jacket in my pack and used an umbrella to stay dry, getting the occasional quizical stare from groups of hikers clad in GoreTex. I could tell they felt much safer in the latest fabrics as the rain dribbled down their hoods and along the seams! I got to thinking about South American volcanos and the mummies found up there. This mingled well with "The Rite of Spring." To my surprise, I saw about 10 hikers on the old trail. One old man was pretty miffed. Maybe I'll be him one day? Another fellow in plastic boots and full-length gaitors accosted me for my unpreparedness: "You've got a coat in that pack, right?" "oh undoubtedly sir." The rain turned to thick flakes of snow, and the trail became really icy. Sometimes I delicately balanced and traversed between tree-handholds. There was a traffic-jam near the top. In the thick snow and fog I took a wrong turn on my way to the benches below the haystack, and got to do some exciting bouldering. I left the haystack alone today.