I started the final day of my hike around Loowit (Mount St. Helens) before sunrise to beat the heat thru the blast zone. With the hardest part of the trail behind I made much quicker progress. In some areas you can see the march of nature as it recolonizes the landscape turning it from grey ash laden expanse to a vibrant green oasis. This entire stretch is a no camping zone so you have to cover it in one day. According to CalTopo distance was just shy of 11 miles from camp to the car. I have a 16 minute video of the entire trip, if you would like to see it let me know and I'll send the link.
What's up with the rope in the clip where you are climbing that dry gully? I have seen people do that with the Alpine butterflies on glaciers, but not on terrain like that.
Several of the washes have those ropes to help you get in/out since it's pretty steep, loose sand/rock and you're wearing a heavy pack. Worked like a charm. 👍
There are black bears, but they are very skittish up in this area, nothing like the bears down in Yosemite. In all my time hiking and camping I've only ever seen one bear that was working the same Huckleberry patch as me. When he saw me he ran and was outta sight in a second or two.
I started the final day of my hike around Loowit (Mount St. Helens) before sunrise to beat the heat thru the blast zone. With the hardest part of the trail behind I made much quicker progress. In some areas you can see the march of nature as it recolonizes the landscape turning it from grey ash laden expanse to a vibrant green oasis. This entire stretch is a no camping zone so you have to cover it in one day. According to CalTopo distance was just shy of 11 miles from camp to the car. I have a 16 minute video of the entire trip, if you would like to see it let me know and I'll send the link.
How much water did you carry?
Went home for Thanksgiving and my grandmother gave me a jar of ash from Mount St Helens. She collected it decades back. Kind of cool.
That's rad! My parents moved here a few years after it erupted so no keepsakes for me.
Far out!✌️
Thanks! 🤙
Definition of living the dream
Thanks, I'm giving it my best shot. 😊
What's up with the rope in the clip where you are climbing that dry gully? I have seen people do that with the Alpine butterflies on glaciers, but not on terrain like that.
Several of the washes have those ropes to help you get in/out since it's pretty steep, loose sand/rock and you're wearing a heavy pack. Worked like a charm. 👍
Looks like a movie! Awesome
Thank you!
Did this trail just go around Mount St Helens, or did you get to summit it as well?
Just went around the mountain. 🙂
This is an impossible trip for me
What trips have you done?
Isn't that bear country? If so in the future I'd be careful about cooking that close to where you sleep. It's best to go a little ways away
There are black bears, but they are very skittish up in this area, nothing like the bears down in Yosemite. In all my time hiking and camping I've only ever seen one bear that was working the same Huckleberry patch as me. When he saw me he ran and was outta sight in a second or two.