Day Hike - East Tiger Mountain

8am     No parking pass required

Meet at a little used trailhead for the Preston Trail next to the DOT (Department of Transportation) facility.  Driving eastbound on I-90 take exit 22 (Preston exit).  Take a right at the end of the ramp and then another immediate right at SE Preston Way.  Follow SE Preston Way for a short distance (no more than half a mile) and the DOT facility is on the left.  Just before the DOT facility is a chain-link fence and this is the trailhead.  If you go past the DOT facility you have gone too far. There is a well-established trail here but it’s difficult to see as it’s a bit overgrown just at the access point by the road.  There is no parking lot and the only visible trail sign is difficult to see.  Just look for the chain-link fence and wide shoulders on both sides of the road and this is where to park. 

Group size is being kept at six due to limited parking.

COVID -19   Following the Mountaineer’s protocol all hikers are required to have face masks and hand sanitizer.  We will wear masks as much as possible especially when at the trailhead, stopping on the trail, when passing other hikers or being passed while at the same time maintaining a social distance of 6 feet.

The Mountaineers do not recommend carpooling with anyone outside your household at this time.

ROUTE:  This is an out and back route hiking the Preston Powerline trail for a very short distance, then the Preston Trail, the Lower and Middle Bootleg trails, the 15 Mile Railroad Grade trail, the East Tiger trail, a service road for a short distance and finally the East Tiger Summit trail to the top.

Since this route is a longer distance with more elevation gain than the standard route to East Tiger from highway 18 I’m calling this a challenging hike, especially since the upper portion may involve some snow.  

The pace will average a moderate 2.25 mph with just minimal breaks as needed and we will keep the group together.

Micro-spikes will likely be required and I’ll send an email the day before the hike with expected weather and trail conditions.

This hike will be a go even if intermittent light rain, drizzle, fog, etc. but will be rescheduled if the weather becomes extreme.