The Ape Canyon trail starts its climb on the lahar side of the ridge, offering awesome views of the volcanic mudslide that marks the landscape.
Mt. Adams was watching over our hike the whole day and while we could also see Rainier and Hood they were both blurred by haze.
Those waters have cut even an even deeper channel through solid rock to form the opening of Ape Canyon itself. This opening is only 8' wide in some places, and it was so dry today that we had no hesitation climbing down to view this slot from its base. An unsettling discovery was made of a half buried pack filled with broken and weathered gear. Seeing this pack crushed by surrounding rocks, we began to fear the worst, but further investigation showed the pack to be full of age old prospecting supplies.
Back on the trail we soon found our way onto the Plains of Abraham, where only patchy snow impeded. The otherwise waterless trail gave us a small stream here to have lunch near. The stream itself was surrounded by pile after pile of mountain goat scat, and we would soon learn why!
After watching the goats scamper about nearly half mile away, we continued out and through the plains before finally turning around and heading out for the day.
As we began our decent, we found a bull watching us very closely on a small hill. He appeared to be on duty protecting a couple of young kids.
-Aaron
