Hike: Glacier Overlook @ Mt St Helens, WA

Getting There

Since this was the training hike for all guides and volunteers for both the Glacier Overlook Hike (GOH) and Into the Crater Hike (ITCH), we all stayed at Mt. St. Helens Institute, Research Facility about 2.3 miles from the Cascade Peaks Interpretive Center (CLOSED) down NF-2560. It's not open to the general public.

Since NFD-25 is still closed due to last year's landslide near Elk Pass. There's unofficial news that the road is passable and that the gates aren't actually locked. Nevertheless, I had to go the "long" way through Randle.

On the way to the field camp, I stopped at the Miner's Car to snap a photo. I ended up running into another MSHI volunteer who was doing the same thing. We chatted for a bit and I mentioned seeing the car in the mid-1980s when it was just enclosed in a chain-link fence. 

As we were walking back to our cars, Stasia from WTA showed up. She was staying at Green River Horse Camp and scouting the trails for the WTA/MSHI Jamboree trail work party the following weekend. We chatted some more, then went our separate ways.

There were some MSHI volunteers at the Cascade Peaks parking lot. The other volunteer and I stopped to chat. I still wasn't exactly sure where we were going. There was a locked gate we had to pass through. Yet another pair of MSHI volunteers that was heading to camp showed up. They opened the gate and we drove through.

I was in the lead and out of the blue, I got extremely dizzy and thought I was going to pass out. Luckily I was only going 2-3 miles per hour on this dirt road. I pulled over a little and tried to regain my composure. I thought I might be dehydrated. I grabbed a small bottle of water from the backseat and downed it. I grabbed some kind of snack and ate that too. I recovered about 90% and the other two cars caught up to where I was stopped. I started moving again as if I'd been waiting for them. I was worried about anyone finding out I was not well. The road was longer than I'd expected but we finally saw the big tents were the kitchen and dining tables were setup. Cars were parked all over this meadow. I found a spot to set up camp and spent some time still recovering physically and emotionally. I was privately freaked out. A bit of routine helped distract me. Setting up the tent, inflating sleeping pad, and unpacking my sleeping bag and pillow.

I put on my sun shirt with the hood to cool off a bit and protect me from the bugs that were flying around.

I joined a group of people that had recently arrived to chat. I pretended everything was fine. 

I was expecting another episode but I continued to feel fine(ish).

After awhile, the ITCH guides and volunteers made it back to camp. Some other crew had been getting dinner ready. A little while after they'd returned, the dinner bell was rung.

They had burgers, salad, fruit, cookies.

The sun went down and it started to get dark. We all sat around the propane camp fire and sat in the camp chairs. I had to retrieve my bug net since the flies and mosquitoes were doing their best to be a pain in the arse. I eventually turn in for the night as did many others.

The next morning they had continental breakfast. I kind of wanted coffee but opted for tea. No lew at Windy Ridge.

After the morning refreshments, I packed my tent, etc and got ready. I wasn't the last to leave but I realized I was at the end of a long line of cars passing through the gate. We all parked at Windy Ridge and got out for the intro talk. Then, consolidated into several cars to drive to the trailhead.

The Hike

Distance: 6.77 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,760 feet
Max. Elevation: 5,277 feet

Note: This isn't the actual hike route. We are accessing an area that is off-limits to the general public through special permission from the USFS & the Cowlitz Tribe, I didn't want to make the actual route public. This is just the AllTrails map for Loowit Falls, which IS open to the public.

Additionally, we had access to the trail from the staging site for the Spirit Lake tunnel project road.

 

This was the first time I'd ventured onto the Pumice Plain on the Loowit. It was great to hike in a big group like this. We heard the talks that clients would get about the geology (from Alan), the 1980 story, the mountain's significance to the Cowlitz tribe. 

We were treated to an up-close view of a group of mountain goats. Even though it was mid-July, the adult goats still had part of their winter coats. There was bits of fur stuck to some of the bushes on the Plain. We learned that people from the Cowlitz will collect this fur periodically.

The pictures tell the story. We were staring into this enormous crater. It was awe-inspiring. I felt so fortunate to be able to visit this spot through MSHI and permission from the USFS and Cowlitz Tribe.

The weather wasn't too bad, especially with plenty of water, breaks, hooded sun shirt, and a nice breeze.

We did the "rose & thorns" thing at the end. Virtually everyone only had "roses". Mine were being able to witness such amazing landscape and hike with fellow staff, guides, and volunteers.

Mt Adams

The Crater, 2004-08 dome, and glacier in the foreground

 

 

Hike: Trail of Two Forests + June Lake, Cougar, WA

Getting There

The Trail of Two Forests is 28 miles from Woodland to the Cougar. There are a couple of gas stations here. Continue east on SR-503 which becomes Rd 90 for 9.5 miles to Ape Cave. Looks for the sign to Ape Caves, June Lake, Climber's Bivouac, Ape Canyon & Lava Canyon which is Rd 83. It's 0.3 miles to Trail of Two Forests and 0.7 miles to Ape Cave.The Marble Mountain parking lot is 4.6 miles north of the ToTF on NF-83.

This was my 3rd mentor session with new MSHI mentors, 2nd for the 83 road. I'd stayed at Cougar RV Park & Campground and met the mentees at the MSH headquarters in Chelatchie.

We stopped at the Trail of Two Forests:

Then, headed up the Marble Mountain Sno-Park. Surprisingly, the gate was closed for the main parking lot so we went across the road and parked in the overflow lot in the shade.

The Hike

Distance: 5.90 miles
Elevation Gain: 936 feet
Maximum Elevation: 3,471 feet

Again, I was a bit preoccupied about successfully leading Kassie and Keith, so I don't have many pictures. I felt much better about allowing them to interact with visitors and get comfortable.

At our lake stop for lunch, there was a gartner snake swimming on top of the lake grass. We also noticed caddis fly larvae crawl in the shallows.

The three of us still had plenty of energy to hike beyond the lake. I suggested hiking northbound on the Loowit trail for awhile, at least until the trail climbs out of the forest.

We stopped before that point but went a good ways before turning around. We did encounter a hiker that was heading toward the Pumice Butte at the top of Ape Canyon.

We made it back to the Lake and continued to the trailhead.

At the parking lot, we met a guy that was a self-proclaimed Trail Angel, a term I'd heard in the context of through hiking on trails like the PCT, AT, CDT. This was neither. It wasn't long before the wheels came off and this person started talking about some crazy stuff: conspiracy theories, chem trails. He was awkwardly interested in my MSHI badge and wanted to know where he could get one. He seemed more interested in "tricking" others of his authenticity. I deflected and regrettably gave him a copy of the Volcano Review. I said there was extensive training in the spring. He admitted organizations like MSHI and WTA thought he was too "intense". I wholeheartedly agreed, to myself. I did my best to conclude our conversation. He was getting closer and closer to me. Kassie and Keith had since left me behind.

We talked about how weird that encounter was and they complimented me on my tactfulness. I was just trying not to get stabbed.

We had good chat otherwise on the road walk back to Marble Mountain. It was a good day and successful mentor session in my mind. I was glad to be able to give a good report to Sarah instead of the not-so-positive one I gave for Jenny.

Hike: Toutle/Cinnamon Loop, Cougar, WA

Getting There

This was the first co-rove with Rod that we had planned after our mentor session. I was a bit hesitant since I suspected we would not see many, if any, visitors. The point of roving is to interact with people. Rod seemed more interested in scouting trail work though has a talent for interpretation and talking with visitors. Technically, we were going to a trail within the monument so it was "fair game".

We met at his house and carpool to pick up the radio in Chelatchie, and continue up to the trailhead at the Kalama Horse Camp.

Take Lewis River Road (SR-503) to the turnoff for Merrill Lake, then travel a bit further on NF-81 to KHC.

I called into Columbia Dispatch and we set out for the hike.

The Hike

Distance: 6.05 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,070 feet
Maximum Elevation: 2,984 feet

The plan was to hike on the Toutle Trail to Cougar Creek Road, then loop back to KHC via the Cinnamon Trail. Along the way we saw this "chair" next to the trail.

We also encountered some trail runners going in the opposite direction, towards KHC and back to Red Rocks Trailhead via the Cinnamon Trail. We expected to cross path again later. I was happy to at least log 2 visitor interactions for my roving report.

Things were going as planned. We stopped at Cougar Creek Road for lunch in the shade and listen to the Kalama River for a bit. It was about a mile to the Cinnamon Trail from there. We stopped again at the junction for a snack and water break.

We noticed some yellow Caution tape on the ground and guessed it was the work of ne'er-do-wells or vandals and continued on our merry way.

We began to lose elevation quite a bit while admiring the work of previous trail crews to widen & level the tread.

Unfortunately, this relatively easy going would soon end. We reached a nearly impassable section of blown-down and debris, completely obliterating and obscuring the trail. AllTrails had the route near the cliff which was partly gone. Well sheet. We probably should have turned back but that would have meant ascending quite a bit to Cougar Creek Road, then backtracking the way we had come on the Toutle Trail. 

I knew that we were so close the KHC, we just had to find a way through. I considered following the Kalama River if it was even possible.

I was a bit worried about my companion to get through this stuff. I did my best to way-find the best way through it all. It was slow-going and difficult. I was dirty with soot and got a few scratches & scrapes.

Thankfully, I had my foldable pruning saw so I was able to clear a path for Rod behind me.

What a relief! I finally found the trail again and it was relatively free of obstacles and obstructions. I knew we both had the same thoughts, thank goodness we didn't have to go around the long way and we were new safely on our way back to the car.

All's well that ends well!

Hike: Wahkeena/Multnomah Falls Loop, Corbett, OR

Getting There

In my recent hikes here, I've been parking at the lot between the westbound & eastbound lanes of I-84 but since that lot required parking permit during the summer, I went straight to the trail. 

I took I-84 eastbound to the Angel's Rest/Bridal Veil exit. Then, took the Historic Hwy 30 to the Wahkeena Falls parking lot. I found a spot right by the trail.

The Hike

Distance: 5.35 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,060 feet
Maximum Elevation: 1,669 feet

 

This has become one of my favorite training hikes. It's not too far from Portland, I'm familiar with the terrain, and it has decent mileage and elevation gain. Someday, I'm going to hike up to Sherrard Point and/or do a big loop from Wahkeena to Devil's Rest to Angel's Rest.

The trail is in a lot better shape around Fairy Falls after the landslide and downed trees damaged the switchbacks earlier in the year. Props to TKO and trail crew volunteers & staff.

My pattern lately on this trail is to go a little further passed the Larch Mountain + Multnomah Falls trail junction up to the bridge.

Even though this route has become somewhat routine, I always manage to find some incredible views along the way.

 

Wiesendanger Falls

 

Wiesendanger Falls

 

Multnomah Falls