Today I woke up feeling every single day of my 34 years and then some. It is unusual for me to still feel tired when I wake up, even if I get up really early. So I'm starting to think I may have done a little too much running last weekend! But it was well worth it because I had fun!!
I started out by running about 16 or 17 miles on the roads, circling Mercer Island on Saturday morning. Then I quickly downed some food and went on a short 5 mile hike with a Mountaineers group. On Sunday I met some Seattle Running Club folks at Tiger Mtn and ran one Fat Ass loop. When we were done with that I re-loaded my water bottle and went out for some more by myself. I think I ended up with somewhere over 29 trail miles on Sunday.
I admit, I was not so sure that heading back up into the hills after the first loop was such a great idea. But then I saw a bear as I ran up the gravel road. This was the first bear I have ever seen on Tiger Mtn. and it made my day. I kinda felt sorry for the bear though because he/she was just trying to cross the gravel access road. The problem was that the regular weekend hordes of Tiger Mtn. hikers (and me, of course) were tramping up the road due to the current parking lot construction. The bear saw me and the large groups right behind me and headed back into the bushes, never making it across the road. Now Yogi was stuck between the busy I-90 freeway and the busy hiking road. I wonder how he/she came from the direction of the freeway in the first place. Maybe there is a wildlife underpass?
I'm sure the bear found a way to get where he/she wanted to go eventually, but it got me wondering . . . why do so many people go to the High Point exit for Tiger Mtn. every weekend? And why do they all just tramp up and down the most uninspiring and boring trail on the entire mountain (the trail to W. Tiger 3) when there is so much more beauty and nature in this 13,000 acre park? I know that part of the answer is that the High Point exit is the most convenient and easy access to the mountain and that W. Tiger 3 promises a peak experience and decent uphill training. It just seems so unfortunate that virtually all park visitors are so concentrated due in large part to the configuration of the trails and trailheads. What would happen if there were trailhead access points (with parking) in other places like downtown Issaquah, Issaquah-Hobart Rd, and further east on I-90? I know that there already are a couple of other access points but the parking sucks at these places and there are no facilities.
I don't have any real answers to the crowded conditions . . . but it might help if the following occurred:
1. People started hiking/running further into the park and gave up on going straight up W. Tiger 3. Go for an adventure! It looks like they are currently re-grading W. Tiger 3 into a highway. Sounds like it will soon be even less appealing than it is now!
2. People drove a little further to USFS trailheads. It wouldn't hurt if the USFS gave up on the mismanaged and unconstitional fee program so people can afford to take a walk in THEIR national forests.
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2 comments:
Hey Adam - thought I'd pop over to your blog. What a great trip you had to the 1(4) corners! And wonderful pictures. Truth be told I'm still reading part 3 and 4, but great story so far! Sounds like this most recent weekend was busy but fun.
Re Bears/Tiger Mt High Point Exit – you make some good points. For some reason High Point feels like you’re taking the “start” less-traveled because you have to drive out so far east on I-90, but you’re right – it is always crowded. But I only know of one other parking area – Poo Poo Point – where you have to fight over parking with the paragliders. It’s too bad USFS doesn’t do a campaign (or do they?) to promote forest lands/access and to inform users of what the fee is used for. As you point out, you have to drive farther; but people might be willing to drive farther if they realized there were other mountains besides those that are so well-known. Actually, the $30 a year seems like a good deal to me; it’s cheaper compared to $50 annually for a States Park pass, which I happily pay as my punishment for trampling through Squak mountain – where I have seen bear. Fee = fewer people = more wildlife.
Well – very nice blog. Hope to run into you in the upcoming season.
Adam,
Thanks for stopping by my blog! So your a local, huh? I haven't run Tiger yet, though my husband, Eric, has a few times. I'd like to try it - but a half-ass version. You certainly racked up some big miles last weekend!
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