I say "semi lost" because I knew exactly how to retrace my steps to get back to my car. Problem is, when that route is 15 miles, and it's a couple hours til dark, it ain't gonna happen! From Loowit trail I followed Butte Camp trail down. I remember the distinctive Butte Camp area, no doubt about that. Next thing I recall is a little flat bottomed gully. I looked around, saw a rough trail leading down into it, a cairn, and sandy footprints down the gully. I decided to climb up the far side of the gully at the first opportunity, so that I could look down on footprints and cairns, while also looking around for the trail that exited the gully. As soon as I was on the far side, I started by turning upstream, until it got brushy. Did that just to be certain the trail wasn't over there. Then continued down. Well, in spite of cairns and flagging, it got a little sloppy as the gully got broader and shallower, and nothing really looked promising. Clearly this was a route people were using, but it sure the heck didn't look like a sanctioned trail. Finally, I found a ski trail which I followed in desperation. I knew it had to eventually hit road 81 or 8123. As soon as I hit that ski trail, I felt much more comfortable.
I've studied maps, written descriptions, and photos, but nothing quite adds up. The field guide shows the Toutle/Butte junction as a simple signed junction of two trails, as you'd expect. But even if I carelessly walked right past that junction (it can happen) I should have kept going south, passing other junctions on the route to Red Rock Pass.
Thoughts?
(oh, and stop laughing!)
semi-lost on St Helens (Butte Camp to Blue Lake)
semi-lost on St Helens (Butte Camp to Blue Lake)
- Attachments
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- trail was perfectly clear, no question, until it dropped into this.
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Re: semi-lost on St Helens (Butte Camp to Blue Lake)
There is clearly traffic using some trail around there. The FG maps look pretty far off compared to GPS tracks.
- Michael
Re: semi-lost on St Helens (Butte Camp to Blue Lake)
I went back this morning to take another stab at it, but the other direction, from Blue Lake TH to Butte Camp. I was a little apprehensive about doing it in the dark, but I didn't wan't to lose hiking hours as I waited for light. When I reached my gully, it was deja vu: Down a ramp into the gully, and then downstream, looking for the exit trail on the other side. But at least this time I knew what I was looking for, having been there just a few days ago. Found it without any trouble. I'm not as upset with myself as you might think. When I got "lost" the other day, I was following footprints and cairns and ribbons downstream. Even so, I did go upstream on the other side just to be sure, but I didn't go far enough.
But here's where it gets embarrassing: When I was wandering around looking for my trail, I considered the possibility of retracing my steps to the last junction, below Butte Camp, where the sign said it was just a mile to Road 81, from which I could walk to the end of Rd 8123. A horrible way to end a day, but doable. But wait, in my OP above I wrote "From Loowit trail I followed Butte Camp trail down. I remember the distinctive Butte Camp area, no doubt about that. Next thing I recall is a little flat bottomed gully." Oops.
Maybe I should stick to XC hiking, and leave the trail hiking to the experts.
But here's where it gets embarrassing: When I was wandering around looking for my trail, I considered the possibility of retracing my steps to the last junction, below Butte Camp, where the sign said it was just a mile to Road 81, from which I could walk to the end of Rd 8123. A horrible way to end a day, but doable. But wait, in my OP above I wrote "From Loowit trail I followed Butte Camp trail down. I remember the distinctive Butte Camp area, no doubt about that. Next thing I recall is a little flat bottomed gully." Oops.
Maybe I should stick to XC hiking, and leave the trail hiking to the experts.