This afternoon, we drove to Mt St Helens to hike out to the Loowit Viewpoint via the Hummocks Trail and Boundary Trail #1. This was 3.7 miles with 1,500 ft of elevation gain, then walked back along the closed road in the dark, an additional 6+ miles. So beautiful and we had the trail to ourselves!
Looking to the hills to the south as we started out in the late afternoon sun. Because of the limited daylight, we choose not to do the full Hummocks Trail loop, but hiked out along the northern loop for 0.5 miles to where it joins the Boundary #1 Trail.
We did encounter some water on the trail.
View of Mt St Helens from the beginning of the Boundary #1 Trail.
Wide angle shot along the trail
As the trail climbed up the side of Johnston Ridge we encountered some snow on the trail, here we are following what looked like coyote tracks
The higher the trail climbed, the more snow we encountered.
There are strong winds up along the ridges in the late afternoon and night. Lots of snow has blown away, but it likes to accumulate on the trail. Our path is the untrammeled snow to the left.
As we came around the last big turn in the trail, we could see the sun setting behind us to the west. This section of the trail is very steep and only has small patches of dry trail.
Panorama along the trail. Coldwater Peak towards the left, and the ridge line under it is where Loowit viewpoint is located, at the top of that Ridge is Johnston Ridge Visitor Center. In the center, a pink Mt Adams peeking out, and Mt St Helens to the right.
Mt St Helens from the overlook, way too windy to stand here very long.
Zoom of Mt Adams peeking over the ridge and a glimpse of Spirit Lake
Looking back along our path as the sun sets.
Mt St Helens at sunset
Mt St Helens at twilight
Panorama from the Loowit Viewpoint
Moon lighting up the sky as we hiked down the road. Later, in the dark with our headlamps on, we saw a herd of elk go by on the side of the road.
Looking back along our path as the sun sets.
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