CHS 2 Pacing Hike - Little Si & Boulder Garden Loop

Following recent snows and cold weather, 10 of us headed for Boulder Gardens and Little Si as a CHS Mountaineers pacing hike, counterclockwise from the overflow parking lot, leaving the cars at 7:40 and returning 4 hours later. I was worried about my car as I got stuck in the ice coming into the parking lot and needed hikers to push me into a parking spot, but by the time we left most of the snow was melting to slushy.

Discover pass required. Toilets are open and stocked. Parking one (closest to the latrines) was full; we saw plenty of day hikers including a OSAT group headed up Si and a large group of climbers heading up with helmets and ropes.

Traction for feet is advised, as some areas are extremely icy and those without experience with traction had some trouble. Most of our ten had and used trekking poles; I did not.

However, I did take a spill about 6 minutes from the car when my microspikes caught on something in the slush - luckily the snow helped me bounce right back up, unharmed. Snow is melting so all the streams are running high - with traction, stream crossings on rocks is a challenge; most people just waded through with waterproof boots. In a few steep areas going up Boulder Garden and Little Si (you know the spots) there is sheer ice; some chose to butt-slide.

And there are a large number of blow downs and branches across both trails. Good option for some trail maintenance crews to get in some work.