Tiger Mountain
Encyclopedia
Tiger Mountain is a mountain
in the U.S. state
of Washington.
in the center of the Issaquah Alps
forming a 13500 acres (54.6 km²) triangle between Interstate 90 (I-90) on the north, the Issaquah-Hobart Road on the southwest, and State Route 18
(SR 18) on the southeast. Immediately to the west is Squak Mountain
followed by Cougar Mountain
, to the south east are Mc Donald and Taylor Mountains, and Rattlesnake Ridge
.
It was established as Tiger Mountain State Forest in 1981. In 1989, the entire Issaquah Plateau
in the northwest corner was designated as a conservation area
, the West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area, accessed by a large trailhead
at Exit 20 on I-90.
The most crowded trail leads to the bald summit
of West Tiger #3, with a panoramic view of Seattle and points to the south and east. It is a 6.2 miles (10 km) hike, round-trip, with an elevation change of about 2000 feet (609.6 m). The nearby peaks of West Tiger #2 and West Tiger #1 provide essentially the same view, but with fewer obstructions the higher one goes.
Poo Poo Point, a bare shoulder of West Tiger Mountain, is a bare ridge on the west side of Tiger Mountain. The point is named for the sound the steam whistle
s would make when signaling loggers. The point is a popular launching point for paragliding
and hang gliding
. You can reach the point by the Chirico Trail which starts at the landing zone for the hang gliders and paragliders in a field adjacent to the Issaquah-Hobart Road, or by taking the High School Trail which begins on 2nd Avenue just south of Issaquah High School
. Many people fly year-round (weather
permitting) and have flown cross-country flights exceeding 75 miles (120.7 km).
State Route 18 bypasses the congested highways of the metro Seattle area. It reaches an elevation of 1375 feet (419.1 m) between Tiger and Taylor Mountain, where another major trailhead is located. This provides access to South Tiger Mountain with limited views, Middle Tiger Mountain with a 45 degree window looking down on the Cedar Hills Landfill, and East Tiger Mountain with a panoramic view south toward Mount Rainier
.
Many trails on Tiger Mountain have wide beds and slope very gently because they are built on the remnants of 1920s logging railroads, long after the rails and crossties were salvaged in the Great Depression
. Near Middle Tiger Mountain is the site of a fatal 1924 train wreck where artifacts can still be seen.
In the most remote part of the forest
, 15 Mile Creek arises in the pass between East and West Tiger. The creek
carves a miniature "Grand
Canyon
" through sandstone
.
Much of Tiger Mountain is owned or managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.
Mountain
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in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington.
The mountain
The mountain has six peaksSummit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
in the center of the Issaquah Alps
Issaquah Alps
The Issaquah Alps are the highlands near Issaquah, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, including Cougar Mountain, Squak Mountain, Tiger Mountain, Taylor Mountain, Rattlesnake Ridge, Rattlesnake Mountain, and Grand Ridge...
forming a 13500 acres (54.6 km²) triangle between Interstate 90 (I-90) on the north, the Issaquah-Hobart Road on the southwest, and State Route 18
State Route 18 (Washington)
State Route 18, also known as SR 18 or Highway 18, is a long state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, which connects State Route 99 in south King County with Interstate 90. It runs northeast from Federal Way, through Auburn, south Kent, Covington, Maple Valley, over the Tiger Summit, and...
(SR 18) on the southeast. Immediately to the west is Squak Mountain
Squak Mountain
Squak Mountain is the second most westerly mountain of the Issaquah Alps mountain chain in Washington state. It is situated between Cougar Mountain to the west and Tiger Mountain to the east. Interstate 90 parallels the base of the north side of the mountain. Much of the Squak Mountain watershed...
followed by Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park is a regional park in King County, Washington, near the towns of Bellevue and Issaquah. The park was established in June 1983 to protect the central core of Cougar Mountain...
, to the south east are Mc Donald and Taylor Mountains, and Rattlesnake Ridge
Rattlesnake Ridge
Rattlesnake Ridge is a mountain ridge located south of North Bend, Washington, United States. The western end is near the intersection of State Route 18 and I-90 in Snoqualmie, Washington and runs southeast about or by trail...
.
It was established as Tiger Mountain State Forest in 1981. In 1989, the entire Issaquah Plateau
Plateau
In geology and earth science, a plateau , also called a high plain or tableland, is an area of highland, usually consisting of relatively flat terrain. A highly eroded plateau is called a dissected plateau...
in the northwest corner was designated as a conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
, the West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area, accessed by a large trailhead
Trailhead
A trailhead is the point at which a trail begins, where the trail is often intended for hiking, biking, horseback riding, or off-road vehicles...
at Exit 20 on I-90.
The most crowded trail leads to the bald summit
Summit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
of West Tiger #3, with a panoramic view of Seattle and points to the south and east. It is a 6.2 miles (10 km) hike, round-trip, with an elevation change of about 2000 feet (609.6 m). The nearby peaks of West Tiger #2 and West Tiger #1 provide essentially the same view, but with fewer obstructions the higher one goes.
Poo Poo Point, a bare shoulder of West Tiger Mountain, is a bare ridge on the west side of Tiger Mountain. The point is named for the sound the steam whistle
Steam whistle
A steam whistle is a device used to produce sound with the aid of live steam, which acts as a vibrating system .- Operation :...
s would make when signaling loggers. The point is a popular launching point for paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
and hang gliding
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
. You can reach the point by the Chirico Trail which starts at the landing zone for the hang gliders and paragliders in a field adjacent to the Issaquah-Hobart Road, or by taking the High School Trail which begins on 2nd Avenue just south of Issaquah High School
Issaquah High School
Issaquah High School, also known as Issaquah Senior High School or IHS, is a public secondary school located in Issaquah, Washington, USA operating under the Issaquah School District and serves students in grades 9-12.-History:...
. Many people fly year-round (weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
permitting) and have flown cross-country flights exceeding 75 miles (120.7 km).
State Route 18 bypasses the congested highways of the metro Seattle area. It reaches an elevation of 1375 feet (419.1 m) between Tiger and Taylor Mountain, where another major trailhead is located. This provides access to South Tiger Mountain with limited views, Middle Tiger Mountain with a 45 degree window looking down on the Cedar Hills Landfill, and East Tiger Mountain with a panoramic view south toward Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located southeast of Seattle in the state of Washington, United States. It is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of . Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most...
.
Many trails on Tiger Mountain have wide beds and slope very gently because they are built on the remnants of 1920s logging railroads, long after the rails and crossties were salvaged in the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Near Middle Tiger Mountain is the site of a fatal 1924 train wreck where artifacts can still be seen.
In the most remote part of the forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
, 15 Mile Creek arises in the pass between East and West Tiger. The creek
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
carves a miniature "Grand
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in the United States in the state of Arizona. It is largely contained within the Grand Canyon National Park, the 15th national park in the United States...
Canyon
Canyon
A canyon or gorge is a deep ravine between cliffs often carved from the landscape by a river. Rivers have a natural tendency to reach a baseline elevation, which is the same elevation as the body of water it will eventually drain into. This forms a canyon. Most canyons were formed by a process of...
" through sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
.
Much of Tiger Mountain is owned or managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.