Loowit 360 - Aug 26th, 1995
Posted: August 28th, 2015, 5:07 pm
Saturday, Aug. 26th, 1995 was forecast to be in the high 70's in town which meant 60's at the most on the mountain. Perfect for a run/hike around Mt. St. Helens. I got up late, as usual and didn't get started on the trail from June Lake until almost 1:00 - a bad habit, but one I find really hard to break!
I had hoped to repeat this hike on the anniversary of the 1995 event but I'm still recovering from everything I've done so far this month and decided it was too hot anyway. Boy, can I make excuses!? - another bad habit.
I'll get it done again, though, and I'll take these photos along to try to match them up to current views of the same spots.
Looking up at the mountain with Monitor Ridge in the distance:
I remember thinking - this is a lot of ups and downs to contend with - I better pick up the pace if I'm to make it around before dark!
Looking back across the Plains of Abraham:
The view north from Windy Pass:
Rounding the corner on the north side I now had to contend with an increasingly strong headwind. I decided to warm up a little by hiking up the side trail to Loowit falls.
Once there, I was still a bit chilled and it was even spitting short bursts of rain. I sat down on a rock to take a drink and saw a nearly new pair of fleece gloves! Just what I needed to stay just warm enough. Needless to say, I was doing this trip with my usual: t-shirt, shorts, running shoes, small fanny pack with some cookies and a liter or so of Gatorade so the gloves were a very good find.
With warmed fingers, I was much happier and made good headway across the main blast zone.
I was now at the point of no return - at least return before it got dark - Looking down into the Toutle River Canyon and knowing I had to climb over 1,500 vertical to get back out, kept me going at full speed ahead.
Back out of the canyon and a couple miles south the trail starts to turn to the SE. I'd done some re-con and knew this was about 8 miles to go. Sundown was about an hour and a half away:
This section slowed me down but I managed to run most of it without falling - unlike a hike last winter when I fell and lost my car keys! - but that is another story.
Just before the sun set, I spotted this herd of elk at the edge of the forest in the distance. They scattered into the forest and I literally ran into them a few minutes later. I don't know who was the more surprised!
I got back to the car about 20 minutes after sundown and the bitter end of enough light to see. 7 1/2 hours, 31 miles or so.
dn
I had hoped to repeat this hike on the anniversary of the 1995 event but I'm still recovering from everything I've done so far this month and decided it was too hot anyway. Boy, can I make excuses!? - another bad habit.
I'll get it done again, though, and I'll take these photos along to try to match them up to current views of the same spots.
Looking up at the mountain with Monitor Ridge in the distance:
I remember thinking - this is a lot of ups and downs to contend with - I better pick up the pace if I'm to make it around before dark!
Looking back across the Plains of Abraham:
The view north from Windy Pass:
Rounding the corner on the north side I now had to contend with an increasingly strong headwind. I decided to warm up a little by hiking up the side trail to Loowit falls.
Once there, I was still a bit chilled and it was even spitting short bursts of rain. I sat down on a rock to take a drink and saw a nearly new pair of fleece gloves! Just what I needed to stay just warm enough. Needless to say, I was doing this trip with my usual: t-shirt, shorts, running shoes, small fanny pack with some cookies and a liter or so of Gatorade so the gloves were a very good find.
With warmed fingers, I was much happier and made good headway across the main blast zone.
I was now at the point of no return - at least return before it got dark - Looking down into the Toutle River Canyon and knowing I had to climb over 1,500 vertical to get back out, kept me going at full speed ahead.
Back out of the canyon and a couple miles south the trail starts to turn to the SE. I'd done some re-con and knew this was about 8 miles to go. Sundown was about an hour and a half away:
This section slowed me down but I managed to run most of it without falling - unlike a hike last winter when I fell and lost my car keys! - but that is another story.
Just before the sun set, I spotted this herd of elk at the edge of the forest in the distance. They scattered into the forest and I literally ran into them a few minutes later. I don't know who was the more surprised!
I got back to the car about 20 minutes after sundown and the bitter end of enough light to see. 7 1/2 hours, 31 miles or so.
dn
