Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
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weathercrazy
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Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by weathercrazy » July 17th, 2016, 5:20 am

Has anyone done this trail recently?

I hear the road to the TH in one direction is washed out, but from the other way it's fine.

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kepPNW
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Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by kepPNW » July 20th, 2016, 6:06 am

weathercrazy wrote:Has anyone done this trail recently?
Thing is, there's a Goat Mtn on the SW side, and another Goat Mtn on the NNE side, so...? :)

(Not that I can answer the question for either, I'm afraid.)
Karl
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K.Wagner
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Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by K.Wagner » July 20th, 2016, 12:16 pm

Karl is correct.

The Goat Mtn on the NE side now has access via the 26 Rd from the 99 Rd, but not from the Randle side.

I don't know much about the access to the Goat Mtn on the SW side, except that it is the big sharp bump that you see to the west of MSH as you drive I-205 north, about at the I-84 interchange. Oh, and that there is no trail on it, so I guess that means you were asking about the NE one.

I don't know current trail conditions. Last year it was in great shape. The views along the ridge and from the summit are great!

PS: Karl, Congrats on getting published again!
Kelly
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Don Nelsen
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Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by Don Nelsen » July 20th, 2016, 12:50 pm

K.Wagner wrote:Karl is correct.

...I don't know much about the access to the Goat Mtn on the SW side, except that it is the big sharp bump that you see to the west of MSH as you drive I-205 north, about at the I-84 interchange. Oh, and that there is no trail on it, so I guess that means you were asking about the NE one...
Kelly,

There is good boot path trail up the Goat Mt. that is on the SW side of St. Helens. I posted a summit post page after climbing the peak over ten years ago and there was no trail then. The page is updated now.
I went back last year and found that so many folks have been hiking there, a nice trail has developed. Steep, and with a few logs to climb over, but very good, as far as trails of the type go. The last 4/10 mile of the road to the TH was brushy and rutted as of last year.

http://www.summitpost.org/goat-mountain/153737
"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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kepPNW
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Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by kepPNW » July 20th, 2016, 4:10 pm

K.Wagner wrote:PS: Karl, Congrats on getting published again!
Thanks! :D
Karl
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johnspeth
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Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

Post by johnspeth » July 23rd, 2018, 4:19 pm

    Sorry for digging up this old post but I have some current information about the Goat Mtn SW of MSH.

    I hiked to the top on July 22, 2018 and called it done at the high point with the benchmark. It was a great trip with just a few logistical difficulties that the next guy would want to know:
    • The 0.4 mile road that leads to the TH had a washout that was impassable by my car. The washout is about 100 yards south of the junction of 8117 and 470 roads about 0.5 miles west of the peak. My car is a 2014 VW Jetta with a slightly low bottom clearance. I parked at the junction and spent the 10 minutes to walk to the TH, no big deal. A good high truck would easily make it but then get pinched out by over grown brush on the road. An old beater can make it after collecting a good helping of paint scratches. The latter half of 8117 road had a few washouts that I could get over but I wonder how many more gully washers the road can survive. There is supposedly TH access via 470 road from its other end but I have my doubts if that road is all the way through.
    • Access to the trail is not obvious at the TH parking area. To find it, locate the garbage dump/campfire, face east, walk forward, and part the bushes with your hands. Then you'll see the trail. Walk 100 yards and turn left on the Fossil Trail. The climbers trail is a faint right turn that is just a half minute walk further.
    • The climbers trail was flagged in sporadic tiny orange tapes all the way to the top. I commend whoever placed them there. They are small (large would be unsightly) and located in places where hikers actually look (like low). At several points, downed trees take you off the flagged trail. Simply taking the steepest path is the best way to deal with losing the trail. I always found the trail after a few diversions.
    • The Fossil Trail is located on a N/S route west of the mountain so it's reassuring to know that if you lose the trail down climbing, just proceed west and you'll hit the Fossil trail. I found trying to locate the trail down climbing was tiring and I eventually gave up. The bottom half of the trail has very little brush to wack through.
    • I think the best way to navigate up is stay on the steepest path possible. The best way down is "walk the knife edge" so you're always on the apex of something. Bring a compass because distant landmarks are hard to see in the woods.
    The Goat Mtn climb is a real hoot if you like steep and short.

    Also, somebody is maintaining the climbing trail and doing a pretty good job, albeit with minimalist treatment.

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    K.Wagner
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    Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

    Post by K.Wagner » July 24th, 2018, 9:17 am

    Thanks for the update. That one is on my lower radar screen, but definitely there.
    Still have 9 left in Skamania County to do & that has to be my focus for now.
    Kelly
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    dmthomas49
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    Re: Goat Mountain (Mt. St. Helens)

    Post by dmthomas49 » March 28th, 2020, 6:48 am

    Has anyone hiked Goat Mountain since the last post? It looks like a good place to put on my list after the virus issue passes and trails open up again.
    "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."
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