If there is a single most popular hike for people who live in or around Seattle it would have to be Mt. Si. Jeremy and I decided to beat the crowds and go while there is still snow in the area. We took a leisurely start and shared the parking lot with only a few other hikers, dogs, and a couple of excited runners. The trail starts off mellow and then steepens until you reach to top. The whole hike is 3100 ft of elevation gain to a meadow at 3900 ft if you don't climb the so called Haystack rock outcrop at the top. Round trip the distance is a total of about 8 miles. We were slowed not by the elevation but by the dense, icey snow that had compressed by other early season hikers. Finally towards the top we got into the powdery snow that, although not nearly deep enough to ski, was great for hiking.
Once at the top we broke out lunch and extra layers. The local grey jays picked Jeremy for their lunch target and got real friendly.
The normally great views of the Cascades and back down into Seattle were totally gone due to fog. It didn't take long before we were getting chilled from sitting around, so back down the trail we went. One of the cool things about hiking at Mt. Si's elevation is that although the parking lot is wet and relatively warm, there is not only snow on the top but it is cold enough to be powdery. We slid most of the way down making for a quick descent.
I tested the men's Alteo 35 pack and was really happy with the whole pack.
In general I like much simplier packs. Bells and whistles can break or just get in the way most of the time. The Alteo is the first pack fully loaded with tons of features that I would pack around for day hikes. The breathable back panel made a huge difference right out of the parking lot. I had to throw on a hat to be a little warmer due to air flow by my back! I never had problems with sweat even though I wore a rain shell the whole time. The frame is stout enough that the pack could be made bigger without changing the support at all and still be able to carry a full load. The design of the pockets seem to be most useful when fully loaded. Overall, I liked the pack and even used my experience with it on Mt. Si to recomend the Alteo 50 to a customer just the other day!
In general I like much simplier packs. Bells and whistles can break or just get in the way most of the time. The Alteo is the first pack fully loaded with tons of features that I would pack around for day hikes. The breathable back panel made a huge difference right out of the parking lot. I had to throw on a hat to be a little warmer due to air flow by my back! I never had problems with sweat even though I wore a rain shell the whole time. The frame is stout enough that the pack could be made bigger without changing the support at all and still be able to carry a full load. The design of the pockets seem to be most useful when fully loaded. Overall, I liked the pack and even used my experience with it on Mt. Si to recomend the Alteo 50 to a customer just the other day!Kelly M
TNF Seattle
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