The first hike I did of 2014 was a very small "mountain" named Poo-Poo Point. It lays at the west edge of the Tiger Mountain Forest. Which ironically, I've lived in Washington for awhile and I have actually never done the classic Tiger Mountain. Poo-Poo Point on the other hand is a small hike that isn't to terrible hard but will make you work a bit to get a view.
The first step of 2014
You start out at a parking lot off a busy road leading from Maple Valley/Hobart to Issaquah. The funny part about it is that the parking lot is apart of a spot for hang gliders to land. In fact that what Poo-Poo is, a Hand glider launch point. The day that my girlfriend and I were there, it was quiet foggy. That seemed to be the trend with the hike considering it was a year before when I did it the first time. You cross the Landing Zone after seeing many signs warning to look up. The trail is pretty basic but surprisingly for as much as it is traveled, the trail does have some pretty rough spots. This makes for an interesting time because you are occasionally climbing over roots and rocks that would not be expected on a pretty well used hike. We continued onward climbing up and up and finally broke through the fog. Getting some what of a view. We got to a point in which I finally gave my partner a break. Knowing my goal of 80,000 vertical feet gained through 2014, I am one to push myself and the ones who are coming along. At the same time, I realized I was quiet out of shape, taking the holidays off to not worry much about hiking.
Getting above the fog
Kris siting back
We kept going up and the trail opens up a bit more. I believe it maybe the cedar trees causing this. I'm not biologist so don't ask... You keep going until you smash through the trees and open into a clear cut. At first it's kinda shocking because it's unexpected but then you begin to climb up to the top and find that it is likely used for paragliding jump spot. A smaller white sign is on the ground giving you a number and business name if you are curious about hurling yourself off a mountain, since it wasn't my cup of tea, we continued on. After another small jaunt through the woods, you begin to go up and up and up and finally break through trees. There seems to almost be a light at the end of the trees but it really the actual summit. As you come through the trees, you look north and are able to see the town of Issaquah and lake Sammamish, to the south is a iffy view of Maple Valley and possible northern reaches of Kent/Auburn and across the way is Cougar Mountain.
The summit view
Weather station
Looking on
Another significant part, at least to me is the presence of two very "official" looking devices on the top end of the hill. The tall tower is a weather monitoring device. It's most like for the people who jump off the mountains. The second and more curious device is a solar panel and small capped object on a tripod. This is what basically is GPS station. There is a scientific name for it but most people wouldn't understand. The metal rods go down into the earth about 30 feet and that about it. The device is really cool though because it measures the movement of earths tectonics plates by the thousandths. I believe that the device was placed there by Central Washington University and the University of Washington. 
The set up
To go back mealy retrace your steps. On a clear day, on the first summit, there is a slight view of Mount Rainer, or as I better call it by its real name Tahoma. Today wasn't the case but it was a good hike none the less. Nothing to serious and a good way to start my year off. Would be something to do on an unbusy day of the week or a rainy day. We saw 4 people besides us the entire day. In my opinion a simple hike for a simple day.That leaves 78,225 feet left
No comments:
Post a Comment