Poo Poo Point wins over snowshoeing on a rainy day

Sue Olson, Kathy Kelleher and I have developed a strategy for hiking in the winter. We meet at Kathy's house on Saturday mornings no matter what the weather. We usually have some idea of where we want to go and if the weather is bad we have an array of Plan B's to choose from.

Last weekend was typical. It was raining and though we wanted to snowshoe, the snow level was so high we'd be in rain no matter where we went. That morning, as I drank my coffee and listened to the latest depressing weather report, I hoped somebody would chicken out.

Of course, no one did and we pulled Poo Poo Point out of the hat and headed to Tiger Mountain.

Tiger Mountain, part of the "Issaquah Alps," is right in our back yard. These mountains are the leftovers of an ancient mountain range. There are several summits worthy of a hike -- Cougar, Tiger, Squak and Rattlesnake are the best known. East Tiger (or main Tiger) is the highest at 3,004 feet.

Tiger Mountain has been logged several times and some trails display historical artifacts. The heart of the trail system is a complex network of logging railroad grades and logging roads.

There was even a fire lookout on East Tiger (1945-67), initially accessed by trail. By 1966 Tiger had become known to hikers through the publication of hiking guides.

In 1979, the Issaquah Alps Club was founded and in 1980 the first edition of "Guide to Trails of Tiger Mountain" by William Longwell Jr. was published. This guide gives an excellent historical overview of the Tiger Mountain State Forest.

In 1987, the Natural Resources Conservation Areas Act was passed to protect native ecosystems. Some 854 acres of West Tiger Mountain have been designated a conservation area, with recommendations for further expansion.

Tiger has more than 100 miles of walking routes (including roads). Most of these trails were built by hikers and are in the forest. There are many places to visit on Tiger Mountain and usually more than one way to get to them.

The most popular trails are West Tiger Three, Tradition Lake (a section of the Tiger Mountain NRCA) and Poo Poo Point. You also can get enough mileage and elevation gain for a good workout, perhaps even a bit more than you bargain for if you take a wrong turn.

Once you venture off main trails, it's not that difficult to get lost on Tiger Mountain, so be sure you have the correct map, compass and route-finding skills.

We started our hike on the High School Trail near Issaquah High School (north of Front Street in Issaquah). We soon left the railroad grade and hiked on a connector trail to an old road until we reached the Poo Poo Point trailhead (at about a mile).

As we climbed through second-growth forest we noticed many large stumps with springboard notches from long-ago logging days. The trail is in good condition with water bars and bridges. There are several junctions along the route. Consult the map for additional hiking options. Some sections of the forest are dark and primeval; others are more open where the alders have grown and shed their leaves.

We saw no hikers until we reached Poo Poo Point, which is also a hang-glider port. It was foggy and we couldn't enjoy the view for which Poo Poo Point is renowned.

There is nothing scatological about the naming of Poo Poo Point (there is a very modern restroom there). It was named by Harvey Manning, the trails activist and guidebook author, who was roaming Tiger long before it acquired its popular hiking status.

Longwell writes that before radio communication between loggers, the choker and the yarder communicated through a series of air whistles. The choker signaled with a whistle when the cable had been set around the log. The whistle created a "poo poo" sound that resonated through the forest. The yarder, who couldn't been seen by the choker, would reply and tighten the cable.

If you have two cars available, you can access Poo Poo Point from a rough, steep trail from Hobart-Issaquah Road, but it is not recommended for novices or families with small children.

Getting there
Take Interstate 90 to Issaquah and get off on Exit 17. Drive south on Front Street to Sunset Way and turn left onto Second Ave., then turn right at 0.7 mile and pass Issaquah High School (it is just shy of Second Avenue's junction with Front Street at a stoplight). Presently the trail is not signed but it is obvious. There is room for three to four cars at the small parking area, elevation 170 feet.

Trail detail
Hike the old railroad grade less than a quarter of a mile, then turn right on a short connecting trail that leads to an old road. At about a mile (under power lines), look for the sign indicating the Poo Poo Point Trail (on your right).

The well-maintained trail climbs through second-growth forest. At about 2-1/2 miles the trail enters Many Creeks Valley. There is a bridge crossing Gap Creek.

After crossing West Creek, the trail climbs 700 feet in a series of switchbacks. At 3.2 miles (2,000 feet) is a junction for the West Tiger Railroad Grade. Turn right and hike the final mile to Poo Poo Point.

On a clear day there are views of Lake Sammamish and Issaquah, and perhaps the hang gliders will put on a show. From the southwest corner of Poo Poo Point, a short trail leads to another hang-glider port and a view of Mount Rainier. At the northwest corner of this port, a rugged trail descends to the hang-glider landing area next to Hobart-Issaquah Road.

Trail data
Round trip to Poo Poo Point from the high school about 5-1/2 miles, 2,000 feet gain. One way from the high school to the hang -glider landing area is about 7-1/2 miles, with 2,100 feet of elevation gain. For more information refer to "Trails of Tiger Mountain" by William K. Longwell Jr. (Issaquah Alps Trail Club, 90 pages, $12) or "Walks and Hikes in the Foothills and Lowlands" by Harvey Manning and Penny Manning (The Mountaineers, 287 pages, $14.95).

The Issaquah Alps Trail Club is always looking for volunteers to help maintain trails. For more information call their hotline, 206-328-0480, or write to: Issaquah Alps Trail Club, P.O. Box 351, Issaquah, WA 98027.

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