This loop hike combines the southern part of the TMT with the South Tiger Traverse, and adds a side trip to both summits of South Tiger Mountain. For information on the trailhead and route, refer to the WTA Hiking Guide description.
On the way to the South Tiger trailhead I drove past the glider landing field that also is the trailhead for the Chirico Trail to Poo Poo Point. At 10 AM the lot looked full, and when I returned at 2:30 it was overflowing with many cars parked, with questionable legality, along the shoulder of the road. The Chirico is a good hike under uncrowded conditions, but I was glad I had planned something else for today.
It was a chilly morning as I set out on the TMT, but pleasant for hiking. I found occasional icy spots on the trail near Hobart Gap, and again where the TMT leaves the powerline to head north. Elsewhere on the trails there were many frost heaves and occasional trickling water, but no significant mud. A few blowdowns were easlily stepped over. Snow on the trails was mostly limited to a dusting. An exception was the northern end of the South Tiger Traverse. This once-trail, now former logging road, was covered with an inch or so of snow. There also was a snowy section in the low area between the two South Tiger summits.
When I reached the junction of the TMT and the South Tiger Traverse, rather than immediately taking the sharp left turn onto the Traverse I elected first to look in on tiny Otter Lake. I continued north on the TMT until about 150 feet before reaching the West Side Road (Road 1000) and looked for the obvious, but unsigned, trail heading west. A short section of the trail near the beginning was a bit swampy, but beyond that the footing was good. The best view of the lake is from the west end where the trail comes close to the shore. The lake surface was partly frozen and no otters appeared if, indeed, any ever had lived there. It seems more likely that muskrats were the original lake dwellers.
I returned to the trail junction and headed uphill on the South Tiger Traverse, noting in the snow many boot prints heading both up and down. As the Traverse began to level off there is an apparent fork in the trail, with the former logging road heading left and another wide path heading right. An unhelpful trail sign proclaiming "South Tiger Traverse" is posted in the middle of the fork, with no arrow to indicate which branch is preferred.
Most of the boot prints in the snow had continued on the left fork. If those folks had intended to reach the north summit of South Tiger Mountain by the most direct route, then that was a good choice. If, instead, they hoped to continue on the South Tiger Traverse, then some significant backtracking or informed route finding would have been required.
I took the fork to the right of the ambiguous sign and, when the trail leveled out completely, looked for another familiar signpost on the left. The post still is there, but the sign it once sported is missing! Formerly, it indicated a trail to the right that climbs a small knoll to reach an equestrian lunch area. The actual South Tiger Traverse heads south on the left, behind the now-unsigned sign post.
I continued on the Traverse until reaching the familiar large stump with faintly carved facial features that marks the start of the unsigned but venerable trail to the south summit of South Tiger Mountain. The thin coating of snow showed a single set of recent boot prints, from earlier today or yesterday, heading up and back down. I headed up and found a couple of new blowdowns that were easily stepped over, and I was on the "summit" in a few minutes. The south summit is graced with an official USGS Bench Mark, although the north summit may be a few feet higher.
The north summit is visible through the trees, and I found the obvious route heading toward it. Again, there were a couple of new blowdowns to step over, and the lower section seemed more overgrown than I remembered. There were no boot prints in the snow on this connecting route heading toward the north summit.
In the low area between the two summits I came upon a wide trail showing may bootprints in the snow. This trail is not on the map, but it's a continuation of the logging road that takes the left fork from that ambiguous sign. Apparently, many folks had recently hiked this route in both directions.
I continued on to the north summit and enjoyed the views of the higher Tiger summits to the north and east. In the distance the tops of taller buildings in Seattle and Bellevue were visible.
To complete my hike, I returned to the south summit, descended to the Traverse, and continued south to rejoin the TMT at Hobart Gap.
I encountered only a handful of other hikers on the trails today, and it did not feel at all crowded. I had no wildlife sightings other than a few birds. It was great day to be out and a good start to the 2015 hiking season.
