Way back when I was 19 or 20 years old, I started to get into hiking. My family was more into team sports and car camping, so we didn’t do much hiking growing up. The first trail I ever did was Tiger Mt, specifically West Tiger 3, in what is known as the Issaquah Alps. It’s really close to the city, maybe a 30 minute drive, and at 6.2 miles round trip (the link says 5, but the signs along the trail indicate the 6.2) and 2100′ elevation gain, it’s a moderate hike. After my first time, I thought I was going to die. My legs were shaking and I was was sore for days! I almost didn’t go again.

10+ years later and as you all are probably already aware, I’m training to climb Mt Kilimanjaro in east Africa. It’s funny where our lives take us. Yesterday I wrote about our hike up Bandera Mt. As a test of being able to hike multiple days in a row, we went out again on Sunday, to Tiger. It’s no longer the challenge I thought it was all those years ago, but combined with the difficult hike of the previous day, I definitely had to stop a rest more than a few times. As it’s 99% in the trees, there aren’t any views until you get to the top, but at least it makes for a shady hike!

We got to the trailhead around 7:25am and set out into the trees. Despite the shade and early time, it was already warm and humid. But doesn’t it look like a fairy tale?

Just under 2 hours later, we reached the summit. We paused just long enough to take a few photos before heading (running) back down. It was such a gorgeous day, you could see Lake Washington and all the way to the Olympic Mountains!

All in all, it took us 2 hours, 45 min to power up and back down this nice little hike. A far cry from that first try years ago!