Harry's Ridge / Mt. St. Helens

[Boozeman]

I decided to round out my regular hiking season by heading out to the one major hiking area that I haven't hiked yet...Mt. St. Helens. I'd been out to the observatory and hiked around the Gifford Pinchot area , but I've never been hiking in the actual MSH park. I opted for the Harry's Ridge hike as my inaugural foray into that region. I'm sure a lot of people have been out there for wildflower season in the summer, but I gotta say a fall hike is not without it's merits. The weather was fantastic. Sunny with blue skies and a nice cool temperature. There wasn't the normal throng of people crowding the trails. Once I hit the top of the ridge it was just two other people there and they headed back soon after my arrival and I had it to myself for about an hour. Oh, and the colors are really pretty spectacular. Reds, Yellows and Oranges of the changing foliage and still some tenacious wildflowers hanging in until the bitter end.

I will also hand out a few cautionary "Heads Ups". 1) It's hunting season and apparently a few of the trails out there intersect with hunting areas, so wear some bright colors unless you want to risk getting mounted on some hunters' wall. 2) The recent storms have caused some erosion to the already narrow sections of the Boundary Trail, so be prepared for a few precarious yet passable spots. 3) This one didn't affect me, but apparently the Johnston Ridge road is closed for some reason. Not the road up to the observatory, but another side road. Other than that, I'd encourage everybody to go check out the colors and amazing views.

[BrianEdwards]

Stunning area. Nice that only the peaks had snow on em

[K.Wagner]

Boozeman,

We were up to Harry's Ridge on Saturday also. Was a beautiful day for sure! Were you the guy in the tan shorts & blue tights? We need to come up with a magic balloon that is only visible to other Portland Hiker members with the special decoder glasses.

In one of your pictures, you have a wrong name. You identified the volcanic peak across Spirit Lake as Mt Rainier. It is in fact, Mt Adams. Rainier would have been a little east of north, and not visible.

[Boozeman]

Oops...I asked another hiker who was up there about that peak and they must have been mistaken. Wasn't entirely sure myself . Thanks for the correction.

I actually wasn't that particular hiker. I was wearing an orange jacket and jeans. I agree that we should have some kind of Portland Hiker Secret I.D. I've seen tons of people on the trail and wondered if they were on here and who they were.

[Peder]

I think the tallest one on the left is Coldwater Peak, but does anybody know if the others have specific names?

The Dome on the left and Mt Margaret on the right. So some more peaks to explore for you in the future!

[Steve20050]

The peak on the left in your last picture is The Dome. That line across the base is the Boundary Trail as it heads to the east to cross over Mount Margaret seen on the right. I had hoped to camp up there on Friday, but a bit much too much workout for me. The view up there is one of the best in the Northwest as far as I'm concerned. You beat me to it Peder. Thanks

[romann]

Great pictures. It's really good timing for Boundary Trail, with mountain in white, good fall colors, and the road still open. As a bonus, there's lots of elk, especially for the first person to hike this trail on that day.