 | |
| AllTrails map |
Getting There
This was the first hike of my July 2021 road trip.
I left Portland on Sunday afternoon, July 18 and drove to Randle, WA. I camped at Iron Creek Campground about 15 min south of US-12/Randle. My plan all along was to do a hike at MSH before heading north to Mt Rainier but when I got to the road on Monday morning, I debated for a few minutes.
After a couple of beats, I turned left towards MSH.
Windy Ridge Viewpoint and the trailhead is 1h 7m via NFD-25 and NF-99. There are so many hikes along NF-99 include Meta Lake, Independence Pass, Smith Creek Trail, and more. I was headed to Windy Ridge and the Loowit Trail.
When I got the TH, there were only a few cars. I couple I'd seen earlier taking photos along the road also arrived and parked.
I geared up and set out.
The Hike
Length: 7.49 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,253 feet
Moving Time: 2:30:27
Avg Pace: 20:06
Calories: 1,326
Total Time: 2:40:33
Type: Loop (except section from TH to Loowit/Truman Trails junction)
It's just 0.3mi until you get to the junction to Windy Trail #216E. (The Truman Trail continues west across the plain to Johnston Ridge.)
The Windy Trail changes into the Loowit Trail #216 about 0.8mi passed the Truman Trail junction and starts heading south toward Windy Pass.
The pass is 0.8mi from the junction. This is about as far as I reached when I hiked from Ape Canyon recently.
On the south side of the pass is the Plains of Abraham. The glacier fed creek was still running but I couldn't find a spot deep enough to fill my bottle easily. I ended up with less water than I started with. I didn't really need it. (Also, not using any water purification.)
---
In an episode of Survivorman, Les Stroud talks about the risks of drinking untreated water in some cases.
"But learn this mantra: you will die of dehydration a lot faster than you will from the effects of drinking untreated water. In fact, in all but the rarest circumstances, drinking untreated water won’t kill you at all. Even if you do contract parasites, most of them won’t hit you for at least a week, if not longer. Should you make it out alive, you can easily treat most of them, albeit with powerful drugs. (https://www.bcoutdoorsmagazine.com/finding-water-in-the-wilderness/)
---
After the pass I crossed paths with a guy on a mountain bike. I turned back to check his progress periodically. It was narrowly and slippery on foot, so I'd bet it was challenging carrying a mountain bike.
It's about 0.9mi from the pass and the Abraham Trail #216D junction. This trail takes you back to the Truman Trail and Windy Ridge TH.
A couple of mountain bikers were headed in the same direction but I didn't them again. The trail skirts a ridge just on the edge of the Restricted Zone and zigzags through these small drainage ravines. There are views for days the whole time. You cross through lots of bushes. It was a bit wary of mountain lions but figured the area was not optimal for bears or wolves. I wonder about the food chain here, and if there are enough food sources to sustain larger animals. Best to let the mountain bikers go first. Ha!
I finally reached the Truman Trail & road back to the TH. I met a small group that were taking in the views. I waved and said hello and booked it to back to Windy Ridge. The weather was great, sunny but not too hot, but the lighting for photography was a bit harsh. No ND filter on the iPhone.
Once back at the car, I took my time changing to road-trip shoes and a dry shirt. It felt good to have completed this section of the Truman & Loowit trails. Soon I was eager to continue on my road trip and set off north.
