Brad hoped to backpack the Loowit Trail - a bucket-list adventure - while I was on my July baseball trip in the Midwest. But this year's late snowfall had the trail and parking areas closed longer than usual.
When the trail opened a couple weeks later, he said I should join him on the Mount St. Helens round-the-mountain adventure! (Loowit is the mountain's Native name)
But the 30ish-mile Loowit Trail has some unique challenges, including the 10-mile section on the north side where camping is not allowed. There is very limited access to the blast zone, so it must be done in one push. That section is also completely in the sun, adding to the difficulty.
Actually, almost the entire trail is above tree line - and it was very hot and clear the days we were out there. That made for good views but almost no shade for the whole trip.
Weekday construction on the highway to Windy Ridge limited entry-point options, so we had fewer choices where we could get on the trail and where we could camp. Logistics were a bit tricky, but Brad made a plan: Start at the June Lake trailhead, hike clockwise on the Loowit Trail, camp at the edge of the exclusion zone on Night 1, cross the blast zone on Day 2, camp on the far side of the exclusion zone on Night 2, and hike out on Day 3.
The first day had us crossing pumice fields and some washouts. I was so thankful to have my Altra Trail Gaiters to keep all the scree and other debris out of my shoes!
Very recent snow melt meant "spring" wildflowers in late July, including this beauty:
We had amazing views of Mount Adams (Pahto) to the east:
Water was hard to come by, but we found a little stream to tank up:
And a tiny bit of shade 😎
Much of the trail looked like this:
There were a few big washouts, including this one where someone (presumably the Forest Service) had placed ropes on each side to assist with the descent and assent:
While Brad is a rope expert and extremely comfortable with such things, I'm very out of practice with ropes. I had a few moments of "I can't do this!!!" but got over it and made my way down the near-vertical wall:
And back up the other side:
(These are steeper than they looks!)
In our heads, the hike was 10 miles, 10 miles, 10 miles... easy! But in reality, the first night was almost 13 miles from the car. We were pretty pooped by the time we arrived at a suitable campsite - on the cliff above the Toutle River. We set up camp, ate dinner, and went to sleep - hoping for an early morning to beat some of the heat with the big push ahead.
Sunrise over the top of Loowit:See that big slope on the left of the sunrise:
That's where we were going next - after a stop at the river below:
Getting ready for a big climb and crossing the blast zone:
We packed up and hiked down to the Toutle River. We navigated another steep scree slope (this one without a rope) and then made our way across river:
This was a full boots-off ford in the very cold, knee-deep water. I brought Crocs and an extra pair of socks just for this. That sure helped, but still... OUCHY! That pain is intense.
Then it was time to load up on water for the big push ahead.
Then back up the other side: Then came the climb and traverse of that big hill we'd been looking at since the day before:
Looking back across the gorge at our camping spot - on the cliff in the middle on the far right:
This was bigger than it looked, too!
Glad to have that intimidating section out of the way.
The west/northwest section was full of green:
The top:
And lots of wildflowers:
Then came the blast zone:
Looking north at Johnston Ridge:
Brad got to try out his new hiking-umbrella setup (with snowy Pahto in the background):
Looking straight into the crater:
These purple wildflowers were everywhere!
Not knowing how much water would be available in this section, we stopped at the first stream we found and filled our bottles. We had crossed several dry streams, so we didn't want to waste an opportunity.
We did later come across a few streams and small rivers that were easy to cross. Then we got to this one below, and it almost was the end of me.
I have a lifelong fear of water. Family legend has it that I almost drowned as a very small child, and, unfortunately, it's stuck with me for 40+ years.
It was a very hot afternoon, and this river was moving fast. It wasn't super wide, but it was wider than I could easily jump. Brad has no fear of water - and has longer legs than me - and was able to get over.
We searched up and downstream for a narrower spot to hop - or a good spot to wade. There was a place that looked possible, but it was a stretch for my short legs. I couldn't see through the whitewater to what was below, and I was very afraid to jump and miss and fall into the unknown hole.
We were almost exactly halfway in our trip, so turning back wasn't really an option. I had to get across that river.
Brad (who is always understanding and gentle with my fears) hopped back across and took my pack. Then he stood where I asked to help grab me if I didn't quite make it. I stood on that rock for what seemed like forever trying to get the nerve to jump. I think it was the whitewater that really bothered me - the power of the water rushing past - and not being able to see what was underneath.
I finally jumped and made it! But that sustained adrenaline rush took it's toll, and I had to sit for a few minutes to get my shaky body back under control. I was so proud of myself for doing it - even though the process was ugly and may have contained a few bad words 😑
Again... it doesn't look as big and scary in the picture. I stood on that redish rock in the middle of the picture and jumped across to the flatish rock on the right. The water was crashing against the rock as I stood with river all around me. (My heartrate is up just a little thinking about it!)
After all that excitement, the journey continued...
Lowitt Falls:
Spirit Lake:
The crater:
The enormity of the crater is truly hard to comprehend - even when you're standing there looking into it.
After we passed the blast zone, we had to hike up and over Windy Pass. I wish I had a picture, but we were getting really tired at this point and just focused on making the climb.
Then we hit the Plains of Abraham:
It seemed to go on forever. We were ready to get out of the sun, sit down, eat, and drink lots of water:
The place we hoped to camp was already occupied, so we had another day that ended up being longer than anticipated. But we finally found a beautiful campsite in the trees (SHADE!!!!).
The problem: It was a dry camp (no water around). We were both almost out of water and had to ration for dinner and breakfast until we could get more the next day - as soon as we crossed a stream that was running. (Most of the gullies and streams we passed over the weekend were already dry for season)
We had gorgeous views of Tahoma, Pahto, and Wy'East near our camp:
We were both exhausted and dehydrated - and it was really, really hot. So we ate, sipped water, and went to bed early - without the rainfly.
The next morning, I opened my east-facing eyes and spotted the sunrise:
Never one to miss a sunrise, I jumped from the tent and ran over the ridge to see those surrounding mountains.
Wy'East to the south:
Pahto to the east:
The summit of Loowit behind me:
I stood there in awe as the colors changed:
Tahoma to the north:
100% did NOT need that jacket. It was already HOT. The alpenglow 😍
After the sun came up, it was time to pack up and hit the trail for the last stretch:
We eventually crossed water and were so so happy to be able to quench our thirst.
We also spotted mountain goats in the distance!
The trail finally dips into the trees, and we had real shade for the first time in three days. Then we spotted the junction to June Lake 🙌🙌🙌
Very happy to be almost done:
Then it was about 1.5 miles mostly downhill to the car. Done! That adventure was tougher than both of us anticipated. The heat and constant sun was brutal, making the mileage (~32 miles) much harder. Also, the lack of reliable water was challenging.
Still, it was a gorgeous trail and view of the mountain you can't get anywhere else! I'm very glad we did it.
