Hummocks and Boundary Trails to Johnston Ridge

 We drove down to Mt St Helens to hike up to Johnston Ridge via the Hummocks and Boundary Trail (10.5 miles and 2,000 ft gain). The road up to Johnston Ridge is closed, but the trails are open.

 We decided to hike counterclockwise around the Hummocks Trail, to do the longer section first on our way to the Boundary Trail.

 There were some wildflowers in bloom and we hiked by a couple of ponds with ducks swimming in them.

 Nice view of Mt St Helens at the start of the Boundary Trail.

 Most of the wildflowers we saw in bloom were along the lower parts of the trail.

 Overlooking Coldwater Lake

 Trail continues to climb up towards the Loowit Viewpoint

 Coldwater Peak in the distance.

 View of Mt St Helens before Loowit Viewpoint

 Top of Mt Adams peeking over Windy Ridge to the east.

 Mt St Helens from Loowit Viewpoint

 Mt St Helens from the top of Johnston Ridge

 I enjoyed watching the clouds move around Mt St Helens today.












zoom of Mt Adams behind Harry's Ridge

 And we continued to enjoy the views of Mt St Helens as we hiked back down the trail.











bluebird below the trail

A wonderful day on the Boundary Trail!

some of the wildflowers we saw along the trail today:

   

  

  

  

    

Hex Mountain via Sasse Ridge Trail

We drove out to the Salmon La Sac area to hike up to Hex Mountain. We drove up to the south end of the Sasse Ridge Trail off of FSR 4305-118 . This route to Hex Mountain is 5 miles round trip with 1,400 ft of gain.
The trail goes through a forest that was partially burned in the Jolly Mountain fire a few years ago. The first part of the trail is an easy up and down. This is a mixed use trail.

We found plenty of wildflowers near the start of the trail.

There was a lot of lupin in bloom.

















We also saw a lot of balsalmroot, also arnica, groundsel and silvercrown luina

There is a lot of green and wildflowers in the burned area. View of Cle Ellum Lake to the west

After about 1.25 miles, the trail started to climb more steeply.

Before the saddle, on the way up to Hex Mountain, we found this large patch of glacier lilies.

On the saddle before Hex Mountain (true summit is the peak on the left near the treelike).













We found wildflowers growing, even in areas that appeared bare.

Heading up the ridge to the top of Hex Mountain.
 Down the steep slope on the north side were lots of yellow bells growing.










Panorama to the west: Cle Ellum Lake and the Cascade Mountains

Panorama to the north and east: Teanaway and Stuart Peaks

Enjoying the views atop Hex Mountain












zoom of a peak to the north (Davis Peak or Hawkins Mountain maybe?)












zoom of the Stuart Peaks

As we came down from Hex Mountain, we saw another large patch of glacier lilies a short ways down the Corral Creek Trail (which also goes to Hex Mountain and joins the Sasse Ridge Trail).

We enjoyed the views of Cle Ellum Lake as we returned down the trail.

some of the wildflowers we saw in bloom along the trail today: