Tiger Mountain 3 - Meet at trailhead

Cancelling the previous MountSI Meetup because the trailhead is still closed.

We will meet at Tradition Plateau trailhead and start hiking at 8.30 Driving Directions: From I-90 take exit 20 and then turn right onto the frontage road paralleling the interstate. In just under 0.5 mile the road ends at a gate. The gate opens daily, though it is closed and locked at 7:00 PM. Park outside the gate if you'll be returning late in the day. Otherwise, continue another 0.4 mile to the Tradition Plateau trailhead.

Trail info from wta:

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/west-tiger-3

Start up the Bus Trial, and after just 0.25 mile veer left onto the West Tiger 3 Trail. Stay to the right just after that trail for (the second left leads to the seemingly endless Tiger Mountain Trail, or TMT). Sticking to West Tiger 3 Trail can be problematic if trail signs are missing or hard to find, since multiple trails slant away left and right over the next 3 miles. Stick to the primary path as it ascends a long series of steep switchbacks.

At 2 miles out, the trail crosses the West Tiger Railroad Grade (elev. 1960 ft.) Continue upward heading into a tight series of switchbacks. The trail gets steeper, it seems, the closer you get to the top. Btt finally, you burst out onto the summit of West Tiger 3 (elev. 2525 ft), just 2.5 miles from the trailhead.

The open view you'll find here sweep in Squak Mountain, the sprawling town of Issaquah, the blue waters of Lake Sammamish, the skyscrapers of Bellevue, and eve the snowy crown of Mount Baker far to the north. On hot summer days you might see hang gliders and paragliders launching off Poo Poo Point (just to your south), riding the thermal lift that spins out of Many Creeks Valley and off the summit.