Saturday, November 11, 2017

Little Si, A Safe and Fun Family Hike

Little Si is a safe and fun family hike.  From a geological and botanical perspective, it is also fascinating.  When we arrived at the trailhead at 8:45 AM, the parking lot was already full.  A couple of our friends ended up parking in the near-by overflow lot.
The trail lives up to expectations and climbs quickly away from the road.  We were impressed how quiet the hike was this close to I-90 and North Bend.  The trail gets heavy use, so there are some jagged spots along the way.  Since the hike is close to the city, you will encounter new hikers who cut the trail and  either don't know or don't care about trail etiquette.   By in large, though, most folks, and their dogs, were friendly and courteous. As you work your way up, you'll find that some of the granite walls are reminiscent of Yosemite.
The middle of the hike flattens out a bit under a canopy of mossy maple, cedar and hemlock.  The last steep section jogs around granite faces until you reach the top.   We stopped for some photo ops looking up at the haystack on Big Si.  At the summit you can look down on North Bend and the Cascades.  Parents should be aware that a few of the side trails run out to the edge of cliffs.  We also found it very gusty on top and were happy we brought  heavier jackets. In the valley, it was almost a dead calm.
At the summit,  scrub pine looks out of place in rainy Western Washington, struggling among the rocks.  Drainage makes the landscape more arid for plants. The manzanita, also unusual for the region, seems to flourish in the moonscape, too.  You can recognize manzanita by its smooth tan branches that resemble a smaller bushy version of the madrone tree.  
We were back in the parking lot before noon, and headed into town for a burger less than ten minutes away.  Probably half the customers at the Dairy Freeze were hikers when we were there.  I hope the local businesses appreciate our economic impact.