Hike: Loowit Trail via June Lake, MSH, Cougar, WA

Getting There

Take Exit 21 from I-5 N (Exit 22 from I-5 S) for WA-503 S/Lewis River Road. It's 28.4. miles to Cougar. WA-503 becomes Road 90. Take NF-83 and drive 6.9 miles (north) to the June Lake Trailhead.

Funny Story:

My original plan was to hike Silver Star Mountain. My usual route has been from the south on L-1200 out of Washougal but since my last visit out there resulted in a flat tire on the road to Noble Ridge Tree Deck, I was pretty gun-shy (pun intended) so I thought I could assuage my somewhat irrational fear of another flat by approaching the trailhead from the north. I'd driven L-1200 from pavement to pavement so I thought it was straightforward.

I drove through Battleground and took the turn for Moulton Falls and weaved my way through the back-country to the forest road. I was watching the navigation app and approximate time to arrival. I had to relieve myself and the 15 min ETA was acceptable. I past the junction for L-1201 and Google's suggestion to take it. A couple miles later, the time estimate jumped to 1 hr 30 mins!

WTAF! I was on L-1200. Ducking Google!!! I began to panic. Where did I go wrong? Maybe I was supposed to take L-1201. Further along, Google routed me to a road that was closed. Grrrr! I'd actually only done the full road from the south. I stopped and turned around and drove back down to the junction. As I approached it, the ETA reset back to about 15 min. Very strange. I made it to L-1201 and found a closed gate about 100 yards from the junction.

Oh FFS. I gave up. Today was just not a day for Silver Star. My nerves from the prevous flat tire were still fresh and I couldn't stomach taking a chance. I passed a couple of trucks heading up and should have asked if it was on the right road and the Maps app had gone mad but I didn't.

I knew I was close to MSH and I didn't want to waste a hiking day since I'd already made it this far. I'd just been up here 3 days before for my MSHI rove. I plugged in June Lake as my new destination which routed me past the MSH Ranger Station where you pick up the radio for MSHI shifts. I didn't need the map anymore. I made a "pit shop" at the Yale Bridge port-a-potty.

As I made my way north on NF-83, I felt calm and assured. I arrived at the trailhead parking lot and found a spot in the shade. While I wasn't there as a MSHI volunteer, I was participating in WTA's Hike-a-Thon!

The Hike

pic hike on the Loowit Trail via June Lake, MSHNVM. This was my second time in this area of the monument and my first hike for WTA's 20th annual Hike-a-Thon. I only went about half way to Pumice Butte. It's kind of gnarly and rugged when you leave the forest and start traversing the base of Mt St Helens.

Despite the number of car in the parking lot below I only encountered a family of four leaving June Lake and one other hiker heading south on the Loowit in the forest section. When I stopped to change out of my wet Hike-a-Thon shirt and put on the long-sleeved/UV shirt, I received a message that my house inspection was done and there were only very minor things to fix. This improved my spirits.

The Loowit trail above the trees is amazing and a bit gnarly. I took each step very carefully in the places where I crossed over rocks, which is often. While I had plenty of time (daylight) I only went as far as I needed to get an unencumbered view of MSH, about 1/2 way to Pumice Butte. I knew there was a section that goes through a stand of trees and then there's the actual lahar, where I stopped last time I was here.

I found a spot under a tree to take off my pack and dry my shirts. I ate half of my sandwich and swatted a pesky insect. My anxiety of the day was in the background but it was still there. It wasn't due to my fitness, hiking experience, or anything with the hike but it was part of the reason I turned around where I did. That's alright. I got some great photos and felt empowered by tackling a tricky part of the monument. It was good experience for future roves. 

I refilled my main water bottle, put on my partially dried shirt and head back towards June Lake.

When I reached the June Lake/Loowit junction, I imagined the hike from there to the Ptarmigan Trail.

On the switchbacks, I encountered a guy in flipflops. That guy seemed hardcore, definitely not his "first rodeo".

At the lake, a group of about 7 were there. One guy had been in the water. Some teenagers were sitting on a log and three more folks were chitchatting. I thought about mentioning Hike-a-Thon but the opportunity just didn't present itself. Before I'd got there I was sorta looking forward to talking to some people but since I wasn't there as a MSHI volunteer, I didn't have that "authority" or perceived expertise. Whatever.

I took a short detour to the dry river bed then back to the lake. I found another place to stand along the edge and ate the other half of my sandwich. There was several bits of trash on the ground and beer can. I bagged it up and stowed the rubbish in my pack.

I headed back to the trailhead and noted that this hike seemed longer by myself than it did when I was on my mentor hike with the other 3 volunteers.

All in all, it was a good day. Most of my anxiety had finally evaporated.