07-20-24
Nobody
was available so I was
looking at a solo hike for Saturday. the high east of the mountains was
forecast for 95-98F. The passes would be in the upper 80s. Wallace
Falls SP was looking at 89F. What to do if you don't want to hike in
the 90F range? I thought of lots of options on Friday evening but none
sounded that appealing. Then I thought about two trips. A trip with
elevation gain to views during the cooler morning and a cool trip
through the tunnel during the hot afternoon. It just might work. I was
up early and reached the High Point parking lot at 7:00 am. The lot was
just over half full. I was on my way at 7:05 am. It was sunny and 58F
at the start. It as almost cool. It warmed up fast. I took advantage of
the cool temperature to set a good pace. The first two thirds of the
way up Tiger 3 I saw only two people. The crowds would come, just a bit
later this morning. On my trip up two weeks earlier, I saw quite a few
hikers coming down while I hiked up. I also expected runners to zoom
by. They did but not until above the railroad grade. The day was
supposed to reach 90 in the afternoon at the trailhead so getting up
and down early was the key. In the last half mile I saw a steady stream
of hikers coming down, runners going up and down, and slower hikers I
passed going up.
I reached the top of Tiger 3 at 8:10 am. 1:05 is a pretty good time for me on the 2.7 mile hike gaining 2000'. There were half a dozen groups on the summit. I took a few photos and headed on. Two weeks ago, the route from the summit of Tiger 3 to Tiger 2 was a huge field of wildflowers. Most were not native but they were pretty. They covered the ground of the recent clearcut. Now they are mostly past prime. A few are still going strong. It was much warmer in the sunshine of the clearcut. I dropped down from Tiger 3 and ascended to the top of Tiger 2. Though sunny overhead, it was hazy in the distance. I could see the Olympic Mountains but through the haze. Mt. Baker was barely visible to the north. Mt. Rainier was a little better to the south. I stopped at the top of Tiger 2 for a break. There were tiger lilies there two weeks earlier but the were all gone now. I did see one tiger lily in a different spot and it had about 20 flowers or buds on it. I sat down on the west side in shade for a longer break.
There were now a lot of people atop Tiger 3. Other hikers and runners came into sight near the summit of Tiger 2. It was 8:53 am when I started back. Though still early, it felt like about 75 degrees now. I dropped down and then climbed back to the top of Tiger 3. After a couple photos, I headed down. The morning crowds were on the trail. For the most part, the trail is plenty wide enough to pass other hikers. I set and maintained a pretty good pace coming down. Once off the summit, the forest was much cooler. When I reached the Bus Trail I took a left turn and added another .30 miles. That brought me up to an even 7 miles on the day. I also gained 2400'. I was back at my car at 10:14 am. The lot was now full. The end of the road in had cars parallel parked down to the no parking signs. After going through the gate the road by the highway was lined on both sides for quite a distance. I had quite a bit of solitude going up. Early starts are great.
Now it was time to head 35 miles east for hike 2. Hyak just east of Snoqualmie Pass was forecast for 87F in the afternoon. The Snoqualmie Tunnel was going to be about 54 degrees all day long. The tunnel has about zero elevation change and the only light is a dot at the tunnel opening at each end. It is 2.3 miles long with a turn at the east end. I arrived at the Hyak parking lot at 10:56 am. The lot was less than half full. Lots of mountain bikers start here to head south then east towards Cle Elum or west towards North Bend. It is about .25 miles to the tunnel. It was now 79F. I was aiming for that cold tunnel. Before I arrived, I passed a big patch of yellow monkey flowers. They were several feet tall. Some of the tallest ones I have seen. From sunshine to tunnel entrance the temperature dropped 25 degrees. There was a cold breeze blowing out of the tunnel. This day might be heading for near 90F but I was going to have a very cool second hike of the day.
On some very hot days the parking lot and tunnel fill up. This day there were people in the tunnel but not the crowds I have seen. There was a steady headwind heading to the west end. With my 3+ mph speed plus the wind it was very cold. I had on a long sleeve shirt and it was necessary. Not many people have to worry about the cold during a heat wave. I made good time and reached the west end at 11:48 am. I took 40 minutes to hike 2.3 miles in the tunnel. It was much warmer out of the tunnel. I went to the outhouse and found a spot nearby with a view across the valley to Granite and Denny Mountains. It was very nice in the shade. I had lunch and stayed until 12:38 pm. I immediately headed back to the tunnel. Heading east I had a tailwind. The result of my hiking speed was dead calm wind. I had more bikes zooming by and a few runners. Near the east end, I started to see families with small children. For the first time, I saw electric scooters in the tunnel. They were very fast.
In a line with the west tunnel portal is a fairly new cell tower. I found out a year or two ago that there is a good cell signal for about 1.75 miles into the tunnel. I was able to check the traffic from 400' underground. From the parking lot through the tunnel and back is just about 5 miles. I wanted a little more so as I neared the east end I turned around and walked form 19 minutes to cover one mile. There is no gps signal underground so I had to use my average speed to figure one mile. This detour brought my mileage up to 7 for hike 2. I came out of the tunnel at 2:05 to find the approach was in shade. I took a few more monkey flower photos and continued on. When I did reach sunshine it was very hot. My car registered 99F at first but it was due to the black asphalt lot radiating heat to the sensor. Once I started driving it dropped to 83F at Snoqualmie Pass. It was plenty hot to me. On the drive home I registered 89F in North Bend and Issaquah.
This turned out to be a great way to spend hiking on a seriously hot day. I had a cool early morning to gain most of the day's elevation. When It was really hot I ducked underground and needed a long sleeve shirt. The tunnel is not a premier hiking destination. It is a way to avoid extreme heat or wildfire smoke. I hope I don't need it for smoke this year. All in all, it was a fun day with two summits and one underground hike.
Click on thumbnails to get
larger pictures.
Trips - 2024
Home
I reached the top of Tiger 3 at 8:10 am. 1:05 is a pretty good time for me on the 2.7 mile hike gaining 2000'. There were half a dozen groups on the summit. I took a few photos and headed on. Two weeks ago, the route from the summit of Tiger 3 to Tiger 2 was a huge field of wildflowers. Most were not native but they were pretty. They covered the ground of the recent clearcut. Now they are mostly past prime. A few are still going strong. It was much warmer in the sunshine of the clearcut. I dropped down from Tiger 3 and ascended to the top of Tiger 2. Though sunny overhead, it was hazy in the distance. I could see the Olympic Mountains but through the haze. Mt. Baker was barely visible to the north. Mt. Rainier was a little better to the south. I stopped at the top of Tiger 2 for a break. There were tiger lilies there two weeks earlier but the were all gone now. I did see one tiger lily in a different spot and it had about 20 flowers or buds on it. I sat down on the west side in shade for a longer break.
There were now a lot of people atop Tiger 3. Other hikers and runners came into sight near the summit of Tiger 2. It was 8:53 am when I started back. Though still early, it felt like about 75 degrees now. I dropped down and then climbed back to the top of Tiger 3. After a couple photos, I headed down. The morning crowds were on the trail. For the most part, the trail is plenty wide enough to pass other hikers. I set and maintained a pretty good pace coming down. Once off the summit, the forest was much cooler. When I reached the Bus Trail I took a left turn and added another .30 miles. That brought me up to an even 7 miles on the day. I also gained 2400'. I was back at my car at 10:14 am. The lot was now full. The end of the road in had cars parallel parked down to the no parking signs. After going through the gate the road by the highway was lined on both sides for quite a distance. I had quite a bit of solitude going up. Early starts are great.
Now it was time to head 35 miles east for hike 2. Hyak just east of Snoqualmie Pass was forecast for 87F in the afternoon. The Snoqualmie Tunnel was going to be about 54 degrees all day long. The tunnel has about zero elevation change and the only light is a dot at the tunnel opening at each end. It is 2.3 miles long with a turn at the east end. I arrived at the Hyak parking lot at 10:56 am. The lot was less than half full. Lots of mountain bikers start here to head south then east towards Cle Elum or west towards North Bend. It is about .25 miles to the tunnel. It was now 79F. I was aiming for that cold tunnel. Before I arrived, I passed a big patch of yellow monkey flowers. They were several feet tall. Some of the tallest ones I have seen. From sunshine to tunnel entrance the temperature dropped 25 degrees. There was a cold breeze blowing out of the tunnel. This day might be heading for near 90F but I was going to have a very cool second hike of the day.
On some very hot days the parking lot and tunnel fill up. This day there were people in the tunnel but not the crowds I have seen. There was a steady headwind heading to the west end. With my 3+ mph speed plus the wind it was very cold. I had on a long sleeve shirt and it was necessary. Not many people have to worry about the cold during a heat wave. I made good time and reached the west end at 11:48 am. I took 40 minutes to hike 2.3 miles in the tunnel. It was much warmer out of the tunnel. I went to the outhouse and found a spot nearby with a view across the valley to Granite and Denny Mountains. It was very nice in the shade. I had lunch and stayed until 12:38 pm. I immediately headed back to the tunnel. Heading east I had a tailwind. The result of my hiking speed was dead calm wind. I had more bikes zooming by and a few runners. Near the east end, I started to see families with small children. For the first time, I saw electric scooters in the tunnel. They were very fast.
In a line with the west tunnel portal is a fairly new cell tower. I found out a year or two ago that there is a good cell signal for about 1.75 miles into the tunnel. I was able to check the traffic from 400' underground. From the parking lot through the tunnel and back is just about 5 miles. I wanted a little more so as I neared the east end I turned around and walked form 19 minutes to cover one mile. There is no gps signal underground so I had to use my average speed to figure one mile. This detour brought my mileage up to 7 for hike 2. I came out of the tunnel at 2:05 to find the approach was in shade. I took a few more monkey flower photos and continued on. When I did reach sunshine it was very hot. My car registered 99F at first but it was due to the black asphalt lot radiating heat to the sensor. Once I started driving it dropped to 83F at Snoqualmie Pass. It was plenty hot to me. On the drive home I registered 89F in North Bend and Issaquah.
This turned out to be a great way to spend hiking on a seriously hot day. I had a cool early morning to gain most of the day's elevation. When It was really hot I ducked underground and needed a long sleeve shirt. The tunnel is not a premier hiking destination. It is a way to avoid extreme heat or wildfire smoke. I hope I don't need it for smoke this year. All in all, it was a fun day with two summits and one underground hike.
 Summit Of Tiger 3 |
 Seattle To The West |
 Flowers Are Past Prime |
 Blooming Foxglove |
 Tiger 3 Is Below |
 Mt. Rainier |
 Tiger 1 From 2 |
 Mts. Teneriffe & Si |
 Peaks To The East |
 Lots Of Tiger Lilies |
 Seattle In The Distance |
 Mt. Baker Is To The North |
 Tiger 3 Again |
 Pink Foxgloves |
 Tunnel Sign Board |
 Garter Snake |
 Hawkweed |
 Tunnel Is Ahead |
 Looking Out Of Tunnel |
 Light From East End |
 Bikes Zoom By |
 Runner Zooms By |
 West End Light |
 West End Ahead |
 Granite Mt. Lookout |
 Lunch Spot View |
 Heading East |
 Long Shadow |
 Wet East End |
 People At East End |
 Yellow Monkey Flowers |
 Close Up Monkey Flowers |
Trips - 2024
Home