Mount Si Trail-Hike of the month

NW Fitness Magazine

Mount Si Trail-Hike of the Month

by-Daniel Lupastean

Located in North Bend, Mt. Si is about a 45-min drive from Seattle. As popular as Mt. Si has become with local Washingtonians, some sources estimate that between 30-100k people hike this mountain annually. This 4-mile hike steady climbs to 4,167, with Haystack scramble being its highest peak. Upon arrival to an overly crowed parking lot, especially with a beautiful snowy afternoon, people still managed to get outdoors to experience an amazing local winter hike with plenty of amazing sights and views to digest. As a local Seattle resident, I find it extremely helpful to start your hiking adventure early, especially when Seattle folks crave for a glimpse of soaking in the sun. The trail for the first mile starts off gradually and then starts to pick up elevation as you continue to follow its switchbacks up the mountain. With an elevation gain of about 3400ft, Mt. Si holds its ground for being a tremendous outdoor workout and experience.

As to one who has hiked Mt. Si trail a handful of times, it takes about 1.5hrs to reach the top. Once upon ascent of Mt. Si, the mouth dropping views begin to infiltrate your eyes. On a clear sunny day, the city of Seattle can be seen facing west with Mt. Rainier to the south. For the more experience climbers, you can decide to climb Haystack scramble for a 360 degree view of the surrounding Cascades. With that being said, Haystack scramble is not for everyone. People have been seriously injured and in some cases people have died trying to scramble to the top. So as with any hiking adventure, use EXTREME caution and know your limits. As your soaking in the spectacular views, don’t be surprised if you’re friendly Gray Jay starts begging for food looking for something to munch on. You didn’t hear it from me, but I hear they love trail mix. As always with every hike, give yourself enough time to make your descent back safely and enjoyable.

Happy trails, Daniel Lupastean

Snoqualmie Pass — North Bend Area

Roundtrip 8.0 miles

Elevation Gain 3150 ft

Highest Point 4167 ft

Features: Mountain views/Summits

Recommended things to bring:

-Gaiters

-Micro spikes

-Flashlight

-First aid

-Water/food