Distant view of Mount Rainier, from top of Mount Si
I was feeling ready for a hike today, so my friend Karen and I head off to conquer Mount Si in North Bend, WA. A lot of folks give this hike grief because of the heavy traffic that it gets during summer; that said, you can’t discount how difficult it is — 4 miles up, with 3,200 feet of elevation gain — brutal! Needless to say, I underdressed… forgot that winter is on the way, and before we reached the top, we were passing light snow spots. It was brisk enough at the top that we spent maybe 10 minutes max, snapped some photos, and then quickly headed back down. By the time we got to the car, I was already starting to feel woozy. By the time I got home, I knew I was in trouble. I spent the next 3-4 days totally knocked out with chills, joint pain and general misery.
Nevertheless, the view was amazing… reminds me of why I love Seattle and Washington!