From the trailhead kiosk, Zosia and I followed signs for West Tiger #3 Trail which climbs moderately but steadily up a forested slope via about a half dozen or so long switchbacks.  The ascent was straightforward with no route-finding problems, but the general lack of views throughout made the trail feel longer and more monotonous.  Only at the summit of West Tiger #3 (WT3) were we finally treated to some far-reaching views.  The summit of WT3 was also very crowded, and it seems that most people end their hike there.  We stopped only briefly before dropping down the south side of the summit block to connect with a road leading to West Tiger #2 (WT2).

	The trail to the top of West Tiger Mountain is signed and easy to follow.
	Zosia passes a number of moss-covered trees along the trail.
	A break in the trees grants this view of West Tiger #2 (WT2).
	Sonny checks the elevation on the summit cairn of West Tiger #3 (WT3; 770 metres). Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	The top of WT3 grants a pretty good view of downtown Seattle and the Olympic Mountains.

The short hike to WT2 was easy and required only minimal extra effort, and it is surprising that so few people that climb WT3 bother to extend their hike here.  Sure, the building and antenna atop WT2 are rather unappealing, but the superior views, especially of Mount Rainier, more than make up for the ugliness of the telecommunications infrastructure.  Oddly enough, the "summit" sign for WT2 is actually located beside a bench several metres below the actual summit.  Zosia and I made sure to tag both just to be thorough.

Zosia stands on some sort of service hatch on top of WT2 (846 metres).  Visible at far left is West Tiger #1 (WT1) while Mount Rainier captures all the attention on the right horizon.

In this view from the top of WT2, Lake Sammamish is visible behind WT3 (right).  Also visible in the distance are the skyscrapers of Bellevue (right of centre) and Seattle (left of centre).

 

	Here is the view to the north from WT2.
	Oddly enough, the summit marker for WT2 is situated at this novel bench about 6 metres below the actual top. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

The dip between WT2 and West Tiger #1 (WT1) is much bigger than the one between WT3 and WT2, and the road leading to WT1 is also longer and steeper.  Otherwise, the ascent of WT1 was still mostly straightforward except for a locked gate blocking the road about 180 metres short of the summit.  A sign here warns about the presence at the summit of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (NIER) "emissions above minimum threshold levels", but NIER (eg. UV light, microwaves, radio waves, etc.) is generally considered harmless unless exposure is prolonged.  In any case, a bypass trail here--amusingly named "Poo Top Trail"--allows hikers to go around the top of WT1, but it also allows hikers to easily go around the gate (the fence on either side is short-lived).  In front of the gate is a small public shelter--labeled "Hiker's Hut"--with some benches nearby.  Many hikers who get this far simply stop here, but Zosia and I were determined to tag the highest point of WT1.  We hiked Poo Top Trail for about 150 metres before abandoning it to churn up a short but steep slope and reach a clutter of unfenced buildings.  Given the flatness of the top of WT1, the actual highest point is rather ambiguous, and we simply picked the concrete porch of one of the buildings as the summit.  At least we had a view of Mount Rainier from the porch!  Not wanting to expose ourselves to NIER emissions for longer than necessary though, we quickly retreated to Hiker's Hut before stopping for a lunch break.

	Zosia descends from the top of WT2 en route to WT1.
	Below the top of WT1, Zosia checks out a somewhat dilapidated hiking shelter.
	Sonny follows an interestingly-named trail near the top of WT1. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia stands on the porch of this building which occupies the top of WT1 (903 metres).
	Zosia climbs up this balcony for a better view of the surroundings near the top of WT1.
	In this view to the east from WT1, East Tiger Mountain is the true summit of the entire Tiger Mountain massif but appears to be an entirely separate mountain.

For our return, Zosia and I dropped back down the road to the dip between WT1 and WT2, but instead of continuing on the road, we turned off onto a trail which basically bypasses WT2.  We eventually reconnected with our original route near the dip between WT2 and WT3.  The top of WT3 was a lot less crowded when we returned, and we stopped here for a short break to enjoy a last helping of far-reaching views before commencing the remaining long but unremarkable descent back to the trailhead.

	On the return trip, Sonny stops beside a huge boulder which is marked on some maps as "Dramatic Erratic". Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Returning to WT3, Zosia takes a break on a bench with a carved owl.
	Total Distance:  14.3 kilometres Round-Trip Time:  6 hours 59 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain:  827 metres GPX Data