Trailhead Direct returns! Let's go sideways across Si

Woo hoo, Trailhead Direct got funded for another year. We have the Mt Si and Issaquah Alps routes this year. Let's do a hike that starts at one trailhead, and comes out another -- let's go sideways across the Mt Si area.

We'll catch the Mt Si bus at Capitol HIll, ride to the Little Si trailhead, start up, but turn off at Boulder Garden. We'll take the Douglas Fir trail to the (new) Mt Si trail, head up to where the Talus Loop splits off. This is a good lunch spot, as there are lots of logs for sitting.

Note: Partway along the Douglas Fir trail, there is an abandoned road called North's Road. If folks want, we can go up this to where it intersects the old Mt Si trail, then back down.

After lunch, we'll take the upper Talus Loop trail toward the Mt Teneriffe trail, but turn back and follow the lower Talus Loop trail back to the Mt Si trail. That will put us at the junction with the Roaring Creek trail, which we'll take over to the (new) Mt Teneriffe trail. which we'll follow down to the Mt Teneriffe trailhead.

IMO, the Roaring Creek trail and the lower Talus loop trail are the 3nd and 4rd nicest forested trails in the Mt Si area. 1st place goes to the Little Si trail, 2nd to the Teneriffe Falls connector. And the upper Talus Loop is something to not miss -- it's a talus (scree) slope, where there was a landslide in the past, with a path across it that has been carefully stabilized. (Note folks are warned not to go off the path, as there is a risk of starting a landslide.)

This is about 6 miles, 1800 ft elevation gain, and we won't push the pace. With the North's Road detour, it's about 7 miles, 2300 ft up. (Don't worry -- later in the season, there will be another sideways across Si event that goes up Mt Si.)

Logistics

Bring water, lunch, snacks. Recommend at least 2 liters / quarts of water. Want to get a little extra workout? Bring more water. You can always pour some out, or offer it to folks who didn't bring enough.

Got trekking poles? Bring them for the occasional loose rocks and wobbly bits, and the downhill parts.

Current weather forecast is for partly cloudy, high temperature of about 65 deg F, no rain.

The event start and end times are at Capitol Hill -- your times may differ if you're getting on the bus somewhere else. The end time is a guesstimate.

Bus riders: Seattle-side folks meet at 8:50am at the southbound bus stop on Broadway, a short way south of E Denny. There is an entrance to the Capitol Hill Link station here. The bus is scheduled to leave here at 8:59am, but the time is notoriously unreliable -- it could be late...or early. We will catch whatever bus arrives at / after 8:59am. The link below has timepoints at other stops -- look for the row that starts 8:53am. Eastside folks -- the bus stops at the South Bellevue station bay 2 nominally at 9:23am, but be there early.

https://trailheaddirect.org/mount-si/

Drivers: You're going to be taking the bus at some point. If you're on the Seattle side, take the bus or Link to Cap Hill -- there's no reliable parking nearby. Ask for routing assistance in the comments. On the Eastside, park at the South Bellevue station, with enough time that you can get to bus bay 2 by about 9:18am. Or, if you want a longer drive (why?? have you seen gas prices?), park at the North Bend Park & Ride, and be at the eastbound bus stop by 9:40am. Do NOT try to park at the Little Si trailhead parking lot, or the overflow parking lot. They will be full, and there will be a line of cars waiting for a space to open up.

Caution -- Google Maps doesn't know about all the trails. Use OpenStreetMap.org or an app that uses OpenStreetMap data.

Use comments to coordinate.

If you sign up, and find you can't go, please change your RSVP, or let us know in the comments -- thanks!