Si via new trail trip report 07/30/2008

Trip Details:

Arrive trailhead

 02:41PM

Start hiking at bathrooms

 02:51PM

Official trail start

 02:53PM

~ 1 mile vista point

 03:16PM

Creek Junction

 03:30PM

Basin

 04:24PM

Leave Basin area

 05:06PM

Creek Junction

 06:01PM

Car

 06:46PM

Snow

Uh... yea right...

Bugs

A few when sitting on benches. Not major. Didn't even bug off up.

Weather

Cool but pleasant hiking. Cloud deck remained above SI haystack. A bit cool on top and a light breeze. Had decent views this time. Some surrounding/higher peaks were at times in clouds. Rocks/etc were damp in the basin/haystack area. Trail was damp the entire way up. Kept the dust down. No mud to speak of.

Crowds Maybe 20-25 descending when I was going up. Maybe a dozen coming up when I was descending. One or two in basin area. A couple coming down from haystack.
Scenic Value Well it's Mt. Si, but there are decent views and I always manage to take enough pictures.
Difficulty Wore new trail shoes again. Still battling heel blisters for some reason. The old trail makes the new trail seem like a freeway and is much easier to walk. Didn't use poles either on way up or down.
   

Narrative:

Well this was basically an attempt to see how fast I could get up this trail trying to best my personal best of 1 hour 45 minutes. In the end I broke it with a time of 1 hour 31 minutes. I wasn't out of breath hiking, but it wasn't a social pace. Should have brought a heart rate monitor I guess to really see how far I could push. Took my time more on the way down/retaking some waypoints to update my waypoints collection with the new GPS.

Didn't waste any time on the ascent stopping for pictures.. Well I did take a couple.

   One picture on way up by rocks out to the east/se. Haystack nearing basin (ok maybe 2 pictures on way up).

Explored the haystack and the area slightly east towards Tenerife. Opted to skip the haystack due to damp rocks and time concerns. I haven't done it since college so want to get back up there soon. It looks a little daunting but...

  At base of Haystack. It's a class 3 scramble from here. Slightly different approach area to Haystack. About to hit high point of trail then it descends to Tenerife road. Tenerife peaking out from high point on trail before descending. Zoom of Tenerife peaking out from high point on trail before descending.

 

Evidence of campfire on hill just before high point east of Haystack area. I guess they can't read the sign at the bottom (or more likely just don't give a rats behind).  

Illegal campfire in woods on way to Tenerife. I guess the campfire boys can't read. 

After minor dinking around/exploring I returned to the basin benches for a snack/bottle of Gatorade before heading down. A few pictures were captured. Since the sun wasn't really out and the temp at the car was probably only in the mid 60's it was a bit cool to be sitting in short sleeves especially when the breeze blew a little

  View of benches etc from Si basin. Haystack from bench area. Views west from haystack basin bench area. Squirrel on rocks near basin bench.

 Headed down and actually took more pictures from the rocks area of the peaks out to the east/south.

  Mailbox peak from rocks below basin. Peaks north of Mailbox from rocks below haystack basin. McClellan butte from rocks below haystack basin. Tenerife from rocks below haystack basin. Rock in foreground, mailbox in background. Last views from rocks just below summit basin.

A couple of shots from the 1 mile up vista spot.

 Mt Washington from ~ 1 mile up vista point. Mailbox peak from ~ 1 mile up vista point.

Wildlife near the bottom.

     Snail in trail < 5 minutes from bottom.

 
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bikejr's Mt Si New 07-30-2008 photoset bikejr's Mt Si New 07-30-2008 photoset

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Last Updated 07/31/2008