Sheep Canyon in the Rain

Early last week, the weather-guessers predicted partly sunny, dry weather on Friday.  Since this was my day off, I immediately made plans to go hiking with Chuck. 

Well.....I should know better than to trust a forecast more than a day in advance.  Friday was anything but dry.  Waking up early that morning, the first thing I heard was the pitter-patter of raindrops on the roof.  Chuck sent a text asking if I still wanted to go hiking.

The trailhead was in the remnants of an old mudflow

I'd been planning to hike Sheep Canyon, one of the "100 hikes" in my Sullivan's book still unchecked.   I already had the day off, and thought "If  I don't hike, what else am I gonna do?"  I announced to Chuck the hike was still on.  His only response was: "Grab your raingear".

Chuck models his Hefty bag pack cover

After a long, wet drive that was intermittently rain and mist, Chuck and I arrived at our destination.  We busied ourselves getting decked out in full raingear.  Lacking proper rain protection for our backpacks, we fashioned attractive black plastic covers, courtesy of Hefty.

The latest in Hefty bag fashions!

Sheep Canyon is located directly south of Mt. St. Helens, on the western edge of the blast zone.  When the mountain erupted, this area miraculously escaped most of the devastation.  However, a flood in 2006 washed out the old trailhead, so we began our hike at a parking area amidst a huge field of boulders.  A trail had been cleared though the mud and rocks.  Tons of mossy dead trees stood amidst the rubble, making for an eerie sight in the wet, foggy morning.

The first of many river crossings

After a short distance, our trail blended in to the boulder field and became difficult to follow.  To aid hikers in navigation, well-meaning people had left various colors of flagging and intermittent cairns.  We found out right away these markers didn't always point toward our chosen trail.  Chuck and I crossed a rushing creek, only to discover we were going the wrong way.  Then we had to re-cross it again!

Now it's my turn!

The soaking mist turned into a hard rain.  Chuck and I played "follow the flags," hoping one of the colors would lead us to the right trail.  By some miracle, we ended up at Blue Lake, a landmark that our map showed was adjacent to the trail.  The path was supposed to continue south of the lake.  But that meant crossing the stream again....

I'm actually wetter than I look

But where was that trail?  Chuck and I traveled up and down the stream, looking for some indication of a hiker crossing point, or continuation on the opposite bank.  At first, we didn't see any clues.  Then Chuck noticed what appeared to be a skid marks in the dirt going up a steep slope on the other side.  Beings it was the only thing that came close to a trail, we decided to cross the creek and check it out.

Foggy Blue Lake

It was another adventurous log hop!  Chuck shakily balanced on two slippery logs, but I chickened out, crouched down, and gripped one of the logs with my hand as I slid myself across.  We made it across just fine, without getting wet (at least from the creek!)

Chuck scouting for a good crossing

Chuck and I scrambled up the steep slope on the other side.  Lo and behold, at the top was the trail we sought!  It was a nice, wide well-graded path leading straight into the forest.  How had we missed it?

Colorful wet leaves

It was great to have good trail to follow.  We headed into a beautiful old-growth forest.  Somehow these wonderful woods had escaped destruction from the 1980 eruption.  Although the rain had eased, huge drops of water dripped from the branches of the trees, dive-bombing Chuck and I.  So much for staying dry in the forest!

It's a little damp here on the bridge

I was hoping for a little more fall color, but it appeared to be too early yet in the season.  There were lots of deciduous trees and bushes along the trail, and Chuck and I agreed we'd like to return later in the month to catch the changing colors.  We were treated to one small display of fall hues at a clearing.  I dutifully recorded the rain-dappled leaves with my camera.




Chuck waves from the Sheep Canyon Bridge


After three miles, Chuck and I arrived at the bridge spanning Sheep Canyon.  Although it was too foggy to see very far, the immediate scenery was impressive.  A creek cut through the canyon, creating small cascades above and under the bridge.  Red huckleberry bushes decorated the adjacent hillside.  We dug out our now-soggy cameras and attempted a few photographs.

A couple of soaked hikers

Originally our destination was the South Fork of the Toutle River, which was another 1.5 miles west beyond Sheep Canyon.  But the precip had not let up in the least, and we were getting wetter by the minute.  After arriving at Sheep Canyon, both Chuck and I agreed we'd gone far enough for the conditions that day, and it was time to head back to the car.

Water droplet artwork courtesy of Mother Nature

One of the cool things about being out on a rainy day is seeing the intricate patterns raindrops create on the vegetation.  The water droplets sparkled like diamonds on these lupine leaves.  Sadly, my photograph wasn't able to adequately capture this magical sight.

"Jabba the Hut" mushrooms

Chuck and I spotted some unusual mushrooms sprouting from trees along the trail.  I especially liked these large brown shiny 'shrooms.  Kinda reminds me of Jabba the Hut!

My feet are really wet now!

About the time we reached Blue Lake, I started to feel some dampness soaking through my two layers of wool socks.  Hmmm....made me realize my boots were way overdue for re-waterproofing!    I also realized the rain had soaked clear through my jacket into the pockets.   I'd been storing my camera in it's neoprene case inside my jacket pocket, and the camera and case were mighty damp.  Guess my jacket could use a little Nikwax love too!  Nothing like a hike on a rainy day to point out my gear maintenance shortfalls.

Despite being wet, Chuck is all smiles

Chuck and I followed the nice trail until it disappeared into the creek.  A recent landslide had wiped it out, and took with it whatever improved bridge crossing used to exist.  So we backtracked to the same logs we'd used earlier, and shimmied our way across.  A short ramble through the dead mudflow forest (which for some reason was much easier to find our way though on the return trip) and we were back at the trailhead.  Wet and cold, but none the worse for wear!  We'd survived our hike in the rain.  Braving the elements always makes me feel like a badass.

Although the weather didn't cooperate, it was still a great hike.  Heading back down the road through the heavy mist, Chuck and I both agreed we were glad we didn't stay home!

:)

Return to MSH

Mount St. Helens is one of my very favorite places to hike.  Unfortunately, it's also a long drive from home.  Although I love hiking this mountain, my visits only average about once a year.

Remember - clicking on any photo will produce a larger view!

MSH rises up from the road

However, last week I had one more vacation day to myself, and I really wanted to go hiking again.  It was the perfect opportunity for another trip to Mt. St. Helens.  Never mind that I'd just driven up to Mt. Hood and hiked 12 miles the day before.  I've wanted to visit the Independence Pass Trail near MSH for many, many years.  This trail takes you to Norway Pass, where there's an incredible view of Spirit Lake and MSH itself.  I'd seen the photos in my hiking book, and wanted to capture some images of my own.

My trailhead for today

So on my last day of vacation, I got up really, really early, and pointed my car towards the Windy Ridge viewpoint.  I'd been there once before, two years ago.  I remembered it being a very long 2 1/2 hour drive.  Yep, the long, monotonous drive was still the same.  I'd been traveling for an hour and a half already, when I passed a road sign that read:  "Windy Ridge - 56 miles."  Ugh!

Dew-sparkled flowers

But I finally arrived at my destination, the Independence Pass trailhead.  The sun was shining high in the sky, and temps were getting hot.  It was going to be a beautiful day.  A beautiful FALL day (it was the first day of fall!)  I noticed a sign at the trailhead that said the Independence Pass Trail was closed a mile ahead.  Hmmmm.....really??  I didn't drive all the way up here for nothing did I?

From this trailhead, my map showed two trails that would take me to Norway Pass.  There was the more scenic Independence Pass trail, which followed the shoreline of Spirit Lake, and was supposed to be very spectacular (according to my Sullivan book).  And there was the Independence Ridge trail, that I knew next to nothing about.  My initial plan had been to hike both trails as a loop (out on one, and back on the other).  Since there were two trail choices, I decided to go ahead and hike a mile in on the trail, and check things out for myself.

MSH and Spirit Lake from Independence Ridge Trail

From the very beginning, the first mile was great.  I immediately got views of Spirit Lake and the famous truncated volcano itself.  The lack of trees made for some nice wide open vistas.  Flowers were still blooming, but there were also some fall colors in the mix.  Huckleberry bushes were everywhere, their leaves a brilliant shade of red.  Flowers, fall colors, great weather, and sunshine.  I love hiking in autumn.

Boo!  Trail closure!!

I reached the trail junction and discovered, much to my disappointment, that the Independence Pass Trail was indeed closed.  There was no explanation as to why.  I was tempted to ignore the sign and hike the trail anyway.  I pondered this for a minute, but since I was by myself, decided this probably wasn't a good idea.  The Independence Ridge Trail was still open, and would get me to my destination.  Instead of a loop, my hike would now be an out-and-back on the same trail.

Red huckleberry leaves

Since I knew nothing about the Independence Ridge Trail, I thought it would be a boring slog.  But I was pleasantly surprised.  The next 2 1/2 miles were an absolute delight.  Huckleberry bushes lined the path, their leaves a beautiful shade of red.  And each bush was loaded with yummy plump berries.  Ummm.....made for some great snacks.

Awesome paintbrush

Flowers of every variety popped up from the forest floor.  There was lupine, paintbrush, fireweed, purple daisies, and many other types that I didn't know the name of.

The last fireweed blooms

I began the hike through hills cleared by MSH's huge blast.  Weathered, dead trees littered the ground everywhere.  As I continued towards Norway Pass, I noticed small conifers and bushes growing up between these old logs.  Birds flitted through the underbrush, and chipmunks scurried across the ground.  I noticed more animal poop on the trail than I've seen anywhere else.  I even saw lots of elk hoofprints in the dirt.  The natural environment was recovering just fine.

Mt. Rainer peeps from behind the hills

I contoured around the hills rising up from Spirit Lake's north side.  Mt. Adams and Rainier came into view.  Looking north towards Mt. Rainier, one could see the extent of the volcano's eruptive force.  Downed trees littered hillsides for miles beyond my position.  It's amazing how dramatically the landscape was affected by the blast.  As many times as I've visited MSH, I'm still awed and humbled by the enormous scale of devastation.

The wonderful view from Norway Pass

Of course, with so many wonderful sights and flowers to photograph, my progress was not exactly speedy.  So it was after 12 noon when I finally reached Norway Pass.  As I came upon the famous vantage point, my jaw dropped.  The view towards Spirit Lake and MSH was even more spectacular in person!

Butterfly posing for me

Norway Pass was such a beautiful place.  Not only did it have such a great view of the lake and mountain, there were also flowers blooming, butterflies soaring, and the adjacent hillsides were covered with bushes displaying fall colors.

Fall colors on the hillside

I was really hungry, but before I sat down to lunch, I took the time and photographed each and every one of these wonderful sights.

Another picture-postcard view of MSH

This was hands-down my most favorite lunch spot ever!

Mt. Adams and Meta Lake

I spent about 45 minutes at Norway Pass, taking pictures, and soaking in the views.  I felt so lucky to have sunny, clear weather.  It would be a shame to hike all this way and not be able to see this wonderful scenery.  I wanted to stay all afternoon.

But.....I had the return trip to my car, and I still wanted time to visit the Harmony Trail.  So reluctantly, I shouldered my backpack and bid this special place goodbye.

Sideways trees litter the hillside

The return trip to the trailhead was much quicker.  The morning sun had been better for photography, so there wasn't as much to distract me.  However, the afternoon sun did cast some nice light on Mt. Adams and Meta Lake, far below me.  I got a couple good images of the mountain-lake combo. 

Fall colors on the Harmony Trail

I arrived back at my car around 2 pm.  There was still enough time for me to explore the Harmony Trail, just over a mile down the road.  The Harmony trail was a short path that led visitors to the edge of Spirit Lake.  This is the only place in the entire National Volcanic Monument that people are allowed access to the lake's shore.

The trail descended down through a thick growth of bushes and alder trees.  The mid-afternoon temps were toasty, so the shade was most welcome.  The trail emerged out onto a barren plain.  The surrounding hills rising up from the plain were void of any tree growth.  It was an eerie, desolate place.

Spirit Lake shoreline

I made my way down to Spirit Lake's shoreline.  The lake sparkled in the afternoon sun.  The remains of MSH's stubby core anchored one end of the lake like a silent sentinel.  The multitude of logs that jammed Spirit Lake in the days after the eruption, had now all migrated to the shoreline and formed a large woody raft.  The huge amount of log debris prevented my access to the lake itself.  A little disappointing.  I was hoping to actually touch the waters of Spirit Lake.

Although the Harmony Trail was kind of a bust, I felt a sense of accomplishment that I'd finally visited Norway Pass, a place that'd been on my "hiking bucket list" for years.  It was totally worth the long drive.  There will definitely be more return trips!

:)

Last Day of Summer

I took a much-needed vacation from work last week.  A couple of the days were spent with my folks while they were visiting, and another day was spent with my daughter, getting her ready for college.  But the final two days were all mine.  And I spent them hiking.

Click on any photo for a larger view

Mt. Hood in the morning

Thursday was the last day of summer.  I couldn't think of a better way to spend it than on the mountain.  I'd been wanting to hike the trail from Timberline Lodge to Paradise Park.  Usually the wildflowers peak there in early August.  But due to the late snowfall, the bloom was delayed.  I'd heard reports that the flowers were still going strong.  This was my chance to check it out.

PCT trail sign - it's a long way to Mexico!

I packed a lunch, loaded Bear in the car, and headed up to Timberline Lodge.  The trail started out on an asphalt path adjacent to T-line. The surrounding area was rocky and dusty in the late summer sun.  I'm used to seeing the place in winter surrounded by snow, so things sure looked barren. I followed the path up to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. I got a kick out of the PCT sign - it announced the mileages to Canada and Mexico. Only a mere 550 miles to Canada!

Timberline Lodge and Mt. Jefferson

Bear and I followed the PCT as it ambled through the snow-less ski trails of Timberline.   The clear skies showcased great views to the south of Mt. Jefferson and the Cascade foothills.

Colorful flowers

And there were flowers from the very beginning!  The trail was lined with lupine, tiny yellow flowers and small purple daisy-like blossoms.  I didn't have to wait until Paradise Park to get my floral fix.

A busy bee

Dozens of bees were buzzing around the flowers.  I think those bees knew that fall was fast approaching, as they seemed very intent on harvesting pollen.

Bear in the flower fields

The PCT contours across the side of Mt. Hood.  The mountain itself was always over my right shoulder.  The trail traversed a couple of drainages carrying snowmelt down the mountain.  The first, Little Zigzag Canyon, was a snap to cross.  The second, Zigzag River, posed more of a challenge.  Even by mid-morning, water was already roaring down the mountain.  I walked up and down its banks, scouting for a good place to cross.  I finally found the right combination of rocks spaced for my leg span, and did a shaky stream-hop.  Of course, Bear showed me up, wading straight across the torrent no problem.

The wonderful meadow

The trail then climbed out of Zigzag Canyon to a junction with the Paradise Loop Trail.  This path led me up to a huge meadow.  And that's where the fun began.

Yes, this is paradise!

I came upon the most wonderful alpine meadow.  It was chock full of multi-colored wildflowers.  The sheer amount of flowers combined to emit a strong floral fragrance.  Purple, yellow, blue, and white contrasted nicely with the green vegetation.  Mt. Hood provided the perfect backdrop.

Out standing in a field (of flowers!)

A sign in the middle of the meadow announced the Paradise Loop.  It was appropriately named!  This was hands-down one of the best wildflower displays on the mountain.

Bear got lots of rest during my extended photo session

I spent a lot of time capturing images of the meadow.  The scenery was absolutely stunning.  While I was shooting away, Bear was more than happy to take a breather.

Beautiful flower fields

I finally tore myself away from the meadow, and continued down the trail.  But just around the bend was another meadow, and it was just as spectacular.

Floral riot

As you might guess, it took me awhile to hike through the Paradise Loop.

Delicate pink monkey flower

I stopped for lunch at a beautiful campsite.  It was situated next to a small stream.  Colorful flowers lined the stream.  Mt. Hood rose up from the meadow's edge.  The views were wonderful.  Lunch spots don't get any better than this.

Fields ablaze with color

After Bear and I refueled, we continued our exploration of the Paradise Loop.  Further down the trail were even more flower-filled meadows.  These had rose-colored daisies and bright orange paintbrush added to the mix.

Red paintbrush bloom

The trail finally descended back down the ridge and reconnected with the PCT.  Having reached our turnaround point, Bear and I followed the PCT back towards Zigzag Canyon.

Zigzag Canyon

Another crossing of the Zigzag River awaited us.  I'm not a huge fan of fording raging mountain streams.  As the day warms up, snowmelt typically increases the river flow.  With additional water shooting down the mountain, afternoon stream crossings are usually trickier.

Zigzag River crossing

But for some reason, the trip back across the Zigzag was no problem.  I immediately found a spot to hop across, and quickly bounded to the opposite shore.  To celebrate, I broke out my last two cookies.  I had a long steep climb back out of Zigzag Canyon, and knew I'd need all the energy I could get.

Fall colors

It was a slog climbing up the endless series of switchbacks.  But I put my head down and kept on trudging.  I ran into a trio of really nice men who were visiting from the East coast (Virginia and New Jersey).  They loved Bear, and spoiled him with treats.  These men said every year they picked a national park to visit somewhere in the US.  This year was Oregon's turn.  What a great way to see the country!

Zigzag Canyon self portrait

I finally arrived at the top of Zigzag Canyon.  From here, Timberline Lodge was only a little over two miles away.  That was the good news.  The bad news was these last two miles were uphill.  It's always difficult to end a long hike with an uphill climb.

Zigzag Canyon is enormous

Zigzag canyon is amazing to view from the topside.  I couldn't fit it all into my camera lens, so I took two separate photos and combined them into this pano view.  Click on the photo above if you'd like to see a larger image.  (However, even my photo doesn't truly capture the magnificence of this canyon).

Bear at the bottom of Little Zigzag Canyon

My dog is now ten years old.  He's always been pretty energetic, but just this year Bear's started to show his age.  And around mile 10, my pup started pooping out.  He stuck with me, and didn't go bounding ahead on the trail.  I hoped this hike wouldn't be too long for him.

The ski runs look barren this time of year

I finally started to see glimpses of the Timberline ski lifts.  Yahoo!  That meant I was getting close to my car.  The late afternoon sun bathed Mt. Hood in some great light.  This slowed down my progress, as the camera came out and I attempted to capture more wonderful mountain views.

Lupine fields

I finally arrived back at my car at 5 pm.  Bear gratefully sank into the back seat and didn't move the entire trip home.  As I arrived at my house, the sun was sinking below the horizon.  The last day of summer was drawing to a close.  I'd covered 12 miles of magnificent mountain scenery and witnessed one of the best wildflower displays I've seen all year.  A perfect way to spend the last day of summer.

:)