My work schedule has been very “relaxed” for over a week now. (Relaxed in that I haven't clocked in for over a week now). So, I am getting to get out in the hills much more frequently than I usually do. Stay home a day or two, then out to bag a couple more peaks, then repeat. I seriously beginning to feel that work is highly overrated!
I had been spending a lot of time in the Mt St Helens area, and frankly was getting a bit tired of it, even though that is where the majority of the summits left to do are. So, a couple of days ago, I decided to head east, to the Monte Cristo Range and grab a few peaks out there, and to check out on old road going up to Wo-Mann Butte.
- Here seen from Little Huckleberry Mtn to the SW.
So, out Hwy 14 to a couple miles past the Dog Mountain TH to the Cook Underwood Road. Then about 5 miles up to the Willard Road split. Up through Willard (the original home of the big Corliss steam engine that is in the Stevenson Museum. If you've not seen it, you have to stop in...). Then up the 66Rd along the east side of the Big Lava Bed to the South Prairie area. South Prairie is interesting because in the fall and the spring the meadow turns into a lake. A forest service plaque there tells the story that it fills because an ice plug develops in a lava tube, and stops it up. Then in the spring, the ice melts and it drains. BOGUS! That doesn't explain how the lake can form in the fall. What is really happening is that the meadow is not dirt, but gravel that has washed down. It's porous. As long as the inflow exceeds the percolation rate it fills. But I ramble on...
At the meadow, I turned east on the 6610 Rd. A few miles of easy driving got me to my spot on the map, but there was absolutely no sign of the road I was looking for. Then I spotted the clue. There was a berm, that really had no business being there. With just a little exploring I confirmed that this was it, the old 726 Rd, that is still on the maps.
Topo MapIt was initially a little difficult to follow, because it was on a flat area. Then suddenly it becomes obvious as it begins to traverse. A little messy for sure, but easily followed. (This picture was taken going up, I did quite a bit of cleaning on the way down)
<Lower road picture>
After about a 1/3 mile, it cleared up a lot, and was easy to walk.
<Upper road picture>
After 3/4 of a mile, and only 180 feet of climbing the road abruptly stops. But then when you look through the trees, you can see it. See what? To me, one of the most awesome scenes that illustrates the forces of Ma Nature, particularly in the otherwise somewhat mundane South Cascades of Washington.
These pictures are from left to right
This bare bedrock face is close to 1,000 feet wide and 600 feet high. It is the result of a slide, that sheared the face. (edit: DN insists that it is the result of the last ice flow. Sorry, I don't see it, yes there are what appear to be drag lines across the face, but the basin shape doesn't fit ice sliding across it. And, I don't think that it would still be this bare after 3,500 years.) Rock climbers have discovered this slope and there are now several bolted routes in place. (Bolts because there are NO cracks for pins or cams) Here are 2 belay anchors. The climbing here comes under the category of "Friction".
The summit can be seen on the right edge of Pic 1 / left edge of Pic 2. From this point it is a steep, but non-technical grunt up.
Here's a picture from the other road shown on the maps. Badly overgrown, don't try it!
- Here seen from the 722 Rd, directly below the face
This picture is just below the summit, looking southish across the bare slide at Little Huckleberry. Off to the right in the distance is a bit of the Big Lava Bed. The lighting is better on this one!
So if you want to get out for a scenic drive and feel a little awed without a whole lot of work, try it! You've got probably a month yet to get in there before the snow flies!
, but aren't chips the result of chops?? 
)
