Winter Scramble - Mount Si Main Trail

Deciding not to do original plan of Mutton Mountain (glad due to reports of significant traffic on Hwy 410), then deciding against anything over I-90 due to chains required at the Pass, we settled for Si main trail, initially hoping to tag Blowdown. However, the forecast ended at the last minute to have a higher snow level. Along with more precipitation in the morning, we pulled into the TH finding a starting temp of 38 and moderate to better rain. We carried snowshoes, but these stayed on our packs all day. The rain eventually turned to snow around 2300, and we then found a dusting on the ground a couple hundred feet above this. It took more elevation gain to find a few or more inches of snow collecting, but there was an interesting line we passed around 3800’ where the snow went from maybe 6 inches to over a foot pretty quick. We arrived at the base of the talus, encountered the wind, spied 5 camprobbers wishing for more human companionship, and then headed down to a tree shelter for putting on more clothes for the descent. Overall, we were all wet but managed to avoid anything worse than that. We finished up our adventure at the North Bend Bar and Grill. Great group today: strong, flexible, well-prepared. 

One notable thing to report: heading up the trail, there were a few small branches about, but heading down, in the relative absence of much wind, we came upon some larger branches that had fallen while we were at the top. If anyone had been under them, it would not have been pretty. We were sobered, knowing to be aware of branches falling with wind or heavy snow, but neither of these were present. Stay safe out there!