Dances with Goats: an epic exploration from Loowit Falls to Toutle Canyon
Posted: July 6th, 2020, 6:55 pm
There's a little 4 mile section of Loowit trail I haven't seen, from the Studebaker neighborhood to Loowit Falls. After 20 hours on the mountain with intentions of covering it, I still haven't set foot on that stretch. I got a little distracted.
I started at Windy, and lost the trail around Loowit Creek. No problem, I found my way across, and went looking. Ran into a trail and followed it up. Was surprised when I ran into an instrument station. Continued up, and found myself in the crater. Oh! I learned a little something about the topography of the crater: There's a big ridge that divides the crater into the narrow part that holds Loowit Creek (east side of crater) and a broader part that holds a couple creeks flowing from the western extent of Crater Glacier. So I found myself looking across that new-to-me broad expanse of the western crater. There was a trail ascending out of the crater to my left, way upstream, near the glacier, so I picked my way across the fairly flat crater floor, with just one slightly-tricky stream crossing. Then up the trail.
Another canyon crossing, this one much bigger. The trail on the other side was way too steep to ascend, confirming my suspicion that I was following a goat trail, not a human trail. Followed the canyon downstream, found a way out, ascended to a lovely broad flat sandy plateau. From a distance, I thought I had seen a trail sign here, but no, it was actually a solar panel. From the right distance/angle, its proportions (in silhouette) made it look like a trail sign.
I could see there was an easy descent to the Loowit Trail way down below, so I was greatly relieved. But first, I had to see where this goat trail would take me.
For the most part, it contoured around MSH at the perfect elevation for efficient travel: Not too high or steep, but high enough to avoid the rugged eroded series of gullies below. I followed it all the way to Toutle Canyon, which is too steep for goats. It turned up, following the canyon rim to a high point, where I stopped. Only options to continue: follow a steep crumbly ridge, or drop onto the headwall above Toutle Canyon. It was a satisfying place to turn back.
I was going to drop towards the Loowit Trail on a bit of a spiral, so as to avoid a couple canyon crossings on trail, but along the way I encountered a charming gully festooned with waterfalls and traces of snow. I followed it up, until the entire width of the gully was snow, until it took me right into the first snowfield I had crossed in the morning. I was virtually in the crater again.
I was surprised I was so high. I decided to cross the crater again, on a smarter route this time, and follow Loowit Creek down to Loowit Trail. I took some gambles on crossing the crater, and they paid off. I was back at the top of Loowit Falls in no time.
This is an extremely abbreviated account. If I shared all the details, it would put you to sleep. Speaking of that, I was up for 40 hours when I returned to my car at 11:30 pm.
Those of you familiar with my hiking style may suspect I wasn't really as confused as I report here. Surely I must have known I was way off the sanctioned trail when I headed into and across the crater. Well, sort of. I'll admit I exaggerate when I say I thought I was just following Loowit Trail. But really, most of my report is genuine: I really didn't know about the ridge that divides the crater, so was surprised to discover the 3/4 of the crater I wasn't expecting. And I really did think I was following a manmade trail, although I'll admit certain stretches of it I knew had to be for researcher use. And I really did think that distant solar panel I saw perched on easy sandy terrain was a trail sign.
Advice for anybody wanting to repeat this: Honestly, there were some scary moments where I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into. And it's illegal anyway. Now that you've seen my report, you can't exactly pretend you were just looking for Loowit Trail when you're caught following a goat trail through the crater.
regarding pics: I decided not to post things that are already well-documented. Just focusing on my route here. Also not posting pics of the scads of goats I saw in the blast zone. Have never seen so many. Not a single elk though.
My pic notes didn't survive. Will try again, very briefly.
I started at Windy, and lost the trail around Loowit Creek. No problem, I found my way across, and went looking. Ran into a trail and followed it up. Was surprised when I ran into an instrument station. Continued up, and found myself in the crater. Oh! I learned a little something about the topography of the crater: There's a big ridge that divides the crater into the narrow part that holds Loowit Creek (east side of crater) and a broader part that holds a couple creeks flowing from the western extent of Crater Glacier. So I found myself looking across that new-to-me broad expanse of the western crater. There was a trail ascending out of the crater to my left, way upstream, near the glacier, so I picked my way across the fairly flat crater floor, with just one slightly-tricky stream crossing. Then up the trail.
Another canyon crossing, this one much bigger. The trail on the other side was way too steep to ascend, confirming my suspicion that I was following a goat trail, not a human trail. Followed the canyon downstream, found a way out, ascended to a lovely broad flat sandy plateau. From a distance, I thought I had seen a trail sign here, but no, it was actually a solar panel. From the right distance/angle, its proportions (in silhouette) made it look like a trail sign.
I could see there was an easy descent to the Loowit Trail way down below, so I was greatly relieved. But first, I had to see where this goat trail would take me.
For the most part, it contoured around MSH at the perfect elevation for efficient travel: Not too high or steep, but high enough to avoid the rugged eroded series of gullies below. I followed it all the way to Toutle Canyon, which is too steep for goats. It turned up, following the canyon rim to a high point, where I stopped. Only options to continue: follow a steep crumbly ridge, or drop onto the headwall above Toutle Canyon. It was a satisfying place to turn back.
I was going to drop towards the Loowit Trail on a bit of a spiral, so as to avoid a couple canyon crossings on trail, but along the way I encountered a charming gully festooned with waterfalls and traces of snow. I followed it up, until the entire width of the gully was snow, until it took me right into the first snowfield I had crossed in the morning. I was virtually in the crater again.
I was surprised I was so high. I decided to cross the crater again, on a smarter route this time, and follow Loowit Creek down to Loowit Trail. I took some gambles on crossing the crater, and they paid off. I was back at the top of Loowit Falls in no time.
This is an extremely abbreviated account. If I shared all the details, it would put you to sleep. Speaking of that, I was up for 40 hours when I returned to my car at 11:30 pm.
Those of you familiar with my hiking style may suspect I wasn't really as confused as I report here. Surely I must have known I was way off the sanctioned trail when I headed into and across the crater. Well, sort of. I'll admit I exaggerate when I say I thought I was just following Loowit Trail. But really, most of my report is genuine: I really didn't know about the ridge that divides the crater, so was surprised to discover the 3/4 of the crater I wasn't expecting. And I really did think I was following a manmade trail, although I'll admit certain stretches of it I knew had to be for researcher use. And I really did think that distant solar panel I saw perched on easy sandy terrain was a trail sign.
Advice for anybody wanting to repeat this: Honestly, there were some scary moments where I wondered what the heck I had gotten myself into. And it's illegal anyway. Now that you've seen my report, you can't exactly pretend you were just looking for Loowit Trail when you're caught following a goat trail through the crater.
regarding pics: I decided not to post things that are already well-documented. Just focusing on my route here. Also not posting pics of the scads of goats I saw in the blast zone. Have never seen so many. Not a single elk though.
My pic notes didn't survive. Will try again, very briefly.