Spring-like conditions in late-January

1/27/2025 Mount Si

Mount Si is one of the most popular hikes in the Seattle area. It is easy to get to from the greater Seattle area, hike-able year-round, a good workout, has a mostly constant grade, and is well-maintained trail. Although the description of the hike may include the haystack at the end, the vast majority of hikers (myself included) do not climb the haystack, since it is technical and rather dangerous.

On a nice weekend, the large parking lot can fill up with weekend warriors. However, on weekdays, especially in the winter, there are few people. On this Monday, the skies were clear and the weather was ideal for hiking. Temperatures at the trailhead started around freezing, but once I got moving, I never again needed the gloves and got by with just a light sweatshirt.

Normally there would be snow and ice for the upper half of the trail in late-January, but this year snow fall has been far below normal. There was only a small amount of snow at the top between some is the rocks. There was no need for microspikes.

The entirety of the hike is in the woods until you reach the top. However, I very much enjoyed how the light would shine through the trees and moss. This effect is especially spectacular in the winter as the low sun shines sideways across the path.

The views from the top are of Mount Rainier, Seattle, and the Olympic Mountains. There is a little bit of rock scrambling to get the best views from the overlook area, and you'll find that there is more then one spot to take in the views and more than one way to scale the rocks.

These small birds, sometimes referred to as picnic robbers, are waiting for you at the overlook. They know you'll be breaking out your snack or lunch, and they'll take food right from your hand or off of your backpack.

I decided to test my selfie skills by letting one of them snatch a crumb from the top of my head. Maybe not the wisest thing to do, but it did make for a good picture.

By the time I returned to my car around noon, it was already in the upper forties and it felt like spring.