Loowit Trail Day 2

Sheep Canyon to June Lake

After a good night’s rest, nourishing breakfast, and a healthy dose of hot coffee, I felt refreshed and renewed, ready for a full day of hiking. By 7:00am I was off hiking towards the South Fork Toutle river crossing.

My objective for the day was: “hopefully finish the trail, but be ready to spend another night if needed.” I had 20+ miles left on the trail, which would become the longest distance I had ever done in a day. I didn’t want to force unreasonable expectations onto myself. Instead, I would go with the flow following my own where my footsteps.

The morning was foggy and moody, obscuring the scenery in the distance. The hike started off down hill, which gave me the chance to wake up my legs and warm up my blood. I kept a steady and speedy pace for my standards. I did not know yet if I would be completing the trail today. I had enough food for an extra day, if needed, but I wanted to push myself for as long as I felt good.

Soon I found myself looking down into the canyon of the South Fork Toutle river in a near white-out condition. Finding the trail by myself was a bit more challenging in these conditions. The dreary scene had a hidden sense of peace and beauty to it.

It took me a few minutes to cross the river and find the trail on the other side. This section of the trail had well anchored ropes that, at first, seemed to be in decent condition. This made the crossing the canyon more manageable.

After crossing South Fork Toutle river, I officially entered the no-camping zone in the blast area of Mount Saint Helens. Going clockwise around Mt St Helens, the terrain turned uphill for the foreseeable future.

Hillside slopes were blanketed with a white background, and initially I could only see a short distance ahead. This allowed me to focus on nothing but each step that was taken, one at a time.

I continued on uphill for the next hour.

As I gained elevation and the morning sunshine rose on the horizon, the clouds gave way to a dramatic scenery. Bright green moss covering the hillsides were a stark contrast to the deep erosion cutting through the canyons. Grassy fields and erosion in perfect harmony.

After topping off on the North side of the South Fork Toutle River canyon, the trail leveled off with small downhills and uphills. The mountaintop was still covered in low clouds, which doubled up as sun cover.

Coming around clockwise towards the North side of the mountain, I began to see the innards of the mountain. The barren landscape left by the 1980 explosion came into view. This moonscape resembled a foreign planet - nothing like I’d seen before.

Looking North, away from the mountain, I could see Spirit Lake into the distance along with greener fields.

This was a good spot to stop, rest my feet, and appreciate the wonders of this place. I set up the camera to take some photos of myself, proof that I was indeed there. By slowing my pace, I also came to realize there were indeed green and wildflowers hidden between the rocks. Life prevailed.

Continuing on the trail, my legs felt good and strong - quite a surprise to me. I continued to keep myself well fed, hydrated, and energized with good views.

I came upon a trail junction to Loowit Falls which would take me off course for a mile. I argued with myself whether I should take this side trip, until someone else on the trail interjected and said it was definitely worth it. So, off I went. Not only did I get a close-up view of Loowit Falls, but also a vantage point for looking back North towards Spirit Lake.

This side trip set me back 30 minutes, so I needed to pick up my pace if I still had plans of finishing this day. I pressed on and soon the trail brought me to a beautiful lush fresh water spring with tasty cold water and an abundance of wildflowers. This was a hidden oasis in the middle of barren fields.

Instead of heading towards Windy Pass, two hikers suggested I take a longer route around to Truman Trail, and then Abraham Trail. The views and wildflowers would be worth it, they said. I was still going with the flow, and so I heeded their advice. I knew this would set me back a bit longer, so I picked up my pace on the way to the destination.

The views made up for the extra effort.

Soon I was approaching familiar terrain. The Plains of Abraham and sights of Ape Canyon. Sections of the Loowit Trail I had been on some years prior.

After hiking for 17 miles and still with 7 miles to go, I was feeling good, but fatigue was starting to set in. I took another break at the junction to Ape Canyon Trailhead before continuing on the last few miles back to June Lake.

The last few miles of a trip are always the longest. The clock ticks slower and the miles seem to stretch. These are the times you can learn to let go of physical pain and exhaustion, desire for comfort. The last few miles of a trip has a special way of re-forging the core of your being. Perseverance and resilience with every step.

This last section was composed of massive canyon crossings. Downhills and uphills with careful footing required.

At this time, I crossed familiar faces - the same three through hikers I had seen just a day prior, on the opposite side of the mountain. They were headed to Ape Canyon and Plains of Abraham in search of a campsite. I was headed the opposite direction, towards June Lake in search of ending my trip. We stopped and chatted for a bit, before continuing to our respective objectives.

Before going too far, I looked back and captured a photo of them hiking in the distance, with Pumice Butte standing tall in the background. As the sun began to wane, it cast poetic shadows onto the riveting landscape.

The last few miles were a blur and my memory doesn’t recall much aside from the joy of reaching June Lake once again. There is a magical feeling of crossing the same place twice after a long trek. It’s not quite the same place, and you’re not quite the same person.

I took the time to make more photos, meditate in the glass-reflections of the lake, and recharge before the final leg.

This would be the longest hour of the entire trip. My only focus was to keep my legs moving. At these times, exhaustion becomes a meditative endeavor. I arrived back to the June Lake Trailhead at 9:00pm, after 14 hours of hiking, just as dusk was setting in. I had officially completed the trek around Mount Saint Helens which I had my eyes on for many years. A worthy venture, and I'm grateful for it.

Thank you, Loowit.

Sheep Canyon to June Lake

Broken Top Loop Day 1

Loowit Trail Day 1