Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-15

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Sean Thomas
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Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-15

Post by Sean Thomas » March 18th, 2015, 7:10 am

It was a magical day last Friday as I hiked and ran an epic 43 mile loop around Mt St Helens that included some of the most scenic trails in the monument. The day started at the Marble Mountain Sno-Park and took me around the mountain predominantly using the Smith Creek, Loowit and Toutle Trails as well as about 11 miles on roads 81 and 83. The highlight of the day was coming face to face with a Porcupine on the Smith Creek Trail as I looked to climb up toward 99 and Windy Ridge:


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I left the gate at Marble Mtn around 6:15 am and did a little morning stretch in an attempt to shake off a bit of last weeks abuse from the Lost Lake attempt :D The first leg was about 6 miles from the sno-park over to the Lava Canyon TH on 83. The mountain, although looking bare for March was beautiful as ever as I neared the Ape Canyon TH with just a little red tinge in the sky above the summit:


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It was fun to have the Lava Canyon stretch so quiet in the morning as I dropped toward Smith Creek. Just birds chirping and lots of amazing stretches of the Muddy River to gawk at, this section is probably my favorite:


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I made a quick detour to the bridge over the Muddy River before I hiked the 9 mile stretch on Smith Creek:


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I didn't see any people the entire day until getting back to Marble Mountain but there were lots of living things moving about :)


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Traveling up Smith Creek is like a lesson in the destructive power of a volcanic eruption. Logs of incredible size were strewn about the shore like weightless twigs after being brought down to creek level by massive mudflows:


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But despite the drastic changes to the drainage nearly 35 years ago the landscape is recovering faster than anyone could have ever imagined:


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Once I reached the Smith Creek crossing I was ready for a snack to get me going for the climb up to road 99:


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As I began rising above the creek a little bit I noticed the worlds third largest rodent walking right in front of me. Apparently only Capybaras and Beavers are larger than Porcupines and I believe it after witnessing the quill covered beast cross my path:


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They usually forage for food at night but this one was out mid-morning looking for a late breakfast. It took to a tree in an attempt to get rid of me:


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It was almost like it was shaking its fist at me to go away. Not wanting to be rude(or stress the little guy too much) I moved on up the hill with great excitement :)


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As I continued climbing I spooked a herd of Elk and about 5 minutes later a grouse spooked me(nearly to death lol). There were some really nice views of the mountain as I closed in on 99:


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And the stark contrast of the blue sky and the pumice covered slopes:


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Upon reaching the 99 road and I was drenched from the climb up. It was like summer up there, not a drop of snow and I was probably the whitest thing on the mountain below 6,000 feet :lol:

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Here's a pano of Spirit Lake from the road:


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I jogged the short stretch on 99 over to Windy Ridge and reached the closed road segment heading over toward the Loowit Trail. Really neat angle on the mountain from that stretch:


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And more pumice and ash covered slopes:


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St Helens from the Abraham junction:


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Moving toward the mountain on the Windy Trail:


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And now for an 8 mile stretch on the Loowit Trail across the landscape most devastated by the 1980 eruption:


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Only Loowit Creek and one other stream on the north side were running, otherwise everything was pretty much dry. It was amazing to hike and run across the front of the mountain, realizing just how small we really are every time I gazed into the crater:


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I had been really excited all day for the segment above the South Fork Toutle River where there are some incredible views of the mountain and river drainage:


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To my amazement I wasn't alone as I gazed across the canyon and noticed three Mountain Goats staring at me from a grassy highpoint above the south side of the river. Notice the three white dots on the upper left:


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Eventually they spooked and climbed across a cliffy area only a Mountain Goat would traverse, probably in an attempt to get away from me:


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I was in awe, watching them run across the cliffs like they weren't even there. Not wanting to leave I waited for them to move on before dropping the CH shortcut down to the Toutle. But first, one more look at the mountain:


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The short but sweet roped descent down to the rugged Toutle River:


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And a look upriver toward the mountain from the water:


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I climbed out of the Toutle and reached the end of my time on the Loowit. After a short break I noticed it was almost 4:00 pm and time to get going. I wanted to be done with the Toutle River crossing before dark, that was really my only stipulation on this hike. If I had passed that before dark then I would have also already knocked off many of the other more dangerous parts of the loop like the cliffs and ladders in Lava Canyon, the creek crossings on Smith Creek and the Loowit as well as any washouts on the north side where the trail can be tougher to spot. Now I thought why not just try and finish the whole hike before dark instead of schlubbing it up with a headlamp to get back to Marble Mountain. Of course, that didn't last long as I took to the forested Toutle Trail and was tossing and nudging lots of little puny blowdown that had gathered on the trail since last year:


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Ok so im no mcds out there :D actually I barely made it over the damn thing at all :shock: I guess saggy soft shelled creatures aren't meant to climb over logs :cry: That's why I was proud when I conquered this huge mess near Sheep Creek(stands proudly!) :P


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And the creek:


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Probably the most amazing thing about going around this mountain, no matter how you go or how much time you wish to take is the contrast between the north side and some of the heavily forested areas on the south and west sides. Specifically anywhere there is old growth or trees predating European influence on the area and thereby of course predating the eruption in 1980. Its amazing to stand at the base of a living thing that is hundreds of feet taller, hundreds of years older than yourself and yet still it rises in the same place where it was just an inch tall sapling many centuries before. It has survived the risk of fire and infestation, found safety from saw and wind and continues to call the side of the mountain home. But just like the mountain, this huge Noble Fir has lost some of its crown thanks to the power of natures fury. A once glorious leader that towered into the sky destroyed in an instant. So goes the way with nature, but neither the mountain nor the tree would complain, they still keep growing every year :)


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I arrived at the Blue Lake TH pretty soon after the visit with the fir and crossed the outlet stream of the lake:


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Now I was beginning to worry. It looked like I had been going so slow I had actually gone back in time, is it really Valentines day still?


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Either way, it was hard not to reflect on another incredible day in the monument as I crossed the last little washout on the Toutle Trail:


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Back to Red Rock Pass and the 81 road with light left to spare:


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Good thing they have one of these at the 81/83 junction for saggers like myself :D


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I ran 81 and walked back to Marble Mountain on 83 finishing at 7 pm. It always feels sort of surreal to arrive back at a place like Marble Mtn after not hearing another voice all day. In fact, it felt great :) There were dozens of excited campers going over their plans to summit the mountain the next day. Particularly moving was a dad and his son playing frisbee in the parking lot, discussing what time they should rise in the morning and how long it might take to summit etc. It brought me back to some of the adventures my dad brought me on when I was that age and I couldn't help but smile :) Here's a map of the track:


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drm
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by drm » March 18th, 2015, 8:19 am

Not An Average loop - that's for sure! Creative route planning for sure.

And I still think you've got a pet newt in your pocket that you take on these trips. But probably not a pet porcupine. :lol:

mitch
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by mitch » March 18th, 2015, 5:46 pm

Absolutely incredible. Thank you for sharing. Loved your comments about the trees.

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by Don Nelsen » March 18th, 2015, 6:38 pm

Holy cow!! And you took time to clear some deadfall off the trail too!? Awesome, just awesome!

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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roadtripmom
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by roadtripmom » March 18th, 2015, 6:57 pm

Unreal ! Thanks for all the awesome photos and amazing report as always. Mt St Helens is a special place.
Filling my bucket, one hike at a time.
Amanda

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RobinB
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by RobinB » March 18th, 2015, 7:00 pm

Wow! And here we were just agonizing about whether we could do the Loowit in two days this summer. As usual, nicely done Sean.

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Born2BBrad
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by Born2BBrad » March 18th, 2015, 7:24 pm

So who takes your picture on these trips? Invisible selfie stick?

Great job, as usual. It's great you are tracking yourself now, so we can get a better idea of your routes.

Hike on,

Brad
Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.
- Jean Luc Picard

Link to GPX tracks
Link to Trip Reports

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Peder
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by Peder » March 18th, 2015, 10:25 pm

Sean - I think only Joie can outdo you! Or perhaps Joerunner on a god day! Amazing!
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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Eric Peterson
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by Eric Peterson » March 19th, 2015, 4:39 am

Hi Sean, does all the extra road routes pretty much eliminate the lava field hiking/jogging? 8-)

hiker4fun
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Re: Not your average Loowit - Mt St Helens Mega Loop: 3-13-1

Post by hiker4fun » March 19th, 2015, 6:51 am

Vow. Wonderful effort and beautiful pictures. Do you need permit on any part of this route? Not that I am going to even think about doing such a loop, but at least I can think about a smaller stretch. :)

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