Our group did an overnight backpack starting and ending at the Johnston Ridge Observatory (JRO).

Route (we used the Green Trails No 364S map): JRO-->Boundary Trail-->Truman Trail (207)-->Loowit Falls-->Windy Pass-->Plains of Abraham (camped here)-->Windy Ridge-->Truman Trail-->Boundary Trail-->JRO.

Total mileage is around 25 miles.

The trail was in good condition, clear, and snow-free with a few exceptions:

• Windy Pass still has some snow cover, but we crossed the one snow patch easily with no equipment. After that, it's a steep climb up with a severe drop-off. Be cautious! The other side of Windy Pass was essentially scree for a 1/4 mile and we slid down parts of it. I would not recommend Windy Pass to anyone with kids, fear of heights, or inexperienced backpackers.
• There are some washouts that you must navigate through in the section from Loowit Falls and the Plains of Abraham.
• There are a few snow bridges to cross going from the Plains of Abraham along Windy Ridge, but I expect those will be melted out in a week.

We never had a problem finding water and seemed to pass a clear flowing stream at least every two-three miles. That being said, you'll likely need a lot of water since there isn't any tree cover and you'll be exposed to the sun the entire hike.

The backcountry camp on the Plains of Abraham is a sweet little spot. There aren't many established sites to put your tent and the tree coverage is minimal so it can get windy, but it has in-your-face views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Helens! Easy access to a stream nearby and a herd of mountain goats hanging out on the hillside.

This is my experience with the Mount St. Helens Institute’s “Into The Crater” hike.  This is the only way you can (legally) go off trail & into the crater.  Parts of this trip were on the Loowit, Truman & Windy Ridge trails.

I’d driven around the east side of MSH before, but hadn’t previously gone down NF99 to get closer to the mountain.  I was blown away by what I saw.  All of a sudden you come around a bend and you see this incredible landscape that’s a mix of destruction & rebirth.  Acres & acres of trees that were burned by the initial blast & died, yet they’re still standing almost 40yrs later.  I found it tough to keep my eyes on the road.  That’s a great primer for what you’re about to see.

First night: Everyone arrives around 6pm.  We were guided to the camp & then had a great dinner to carb load for the next day’s activities.  Then when the sun set, it started to get ridiculously cold (probably lower 40’s, and nobody was prepared for that at the end of August).  No open fires allowed because of the dry conditions, so we retreated to our tents & went to bed.

Next morning: We got up, had breakfast, made our lunches, loaded up on snacks, and were packed into cars before 6am.  Then it was up to Windy Ridge to get started.  If you’re trying to follow bootprints here, you’re probably going to get lost.  It’s a WIDE open space, but you’re walking through a delicate ecosystem, so the trail itself is pretty narrow most of the way.

The hike: Basically everywhere you look, magic is happening.  Sections where there’s no vegetation for 20ft in any direction (and it almost looks like a moonscape), but there’s one lone little flower, or a pine tree starting to come back.  Around every corner and over every ridge, there’s just jaw dropping scenery.

There are a few steep sections.  One is nicknamed the Sasquatch Steps.  Most folks in the group didn’t think this was too tough going up, but it was mostly just ash/dirt, and so it was kinda tough not to slip when coming down.  Fortunately, most of the steep sections are pretty short, followed by longer stretches with no/very minimal grade.

There was a creek crossing involved.  Your boots will definitely get wet.

We ended the hike up at the base of the glacier.  We relaxed there for quite a while.  Some folks took naps (there’s no shame in doing a snooze).  We watched some rocks fall down the size of the mountain (but we weren’t close enough to be in danger).

Our total hike was about 9.5mi, but the hike can be as long as 12mi in some cases (depends on the route they take, which is partly related to where they can safely cross the creek).  Normal camp to camp time they plan for is about 12hours, we were done in <10.

Group: Apparently it’s typical to have a group of 12 clients on each trip.  This time, we had 10.  There were also 8 people associated with MSHI – a mix of guides & volunteers (including a geologist).

Hiking: One concern I had with a group this size was that we would get spread out very far apart, constantly waiting for the slower folks in the group to catch up.  That wasn’t an issue here.  The pace they set was great…not too slow, not too fast.  Don’t worry, you’ll still get a good workout in.

Camp: Fantastic setup.  There were 2 large tents available for guests (10 cots in each), or there was space where you could set up your own tent if you so desired.  They had a huge kitchen tent where they made us amazing dinners Friday & Saturday night.  Composting toilet @ camp with an amazing view.  The campsite is near one used by other researchers, so you won’t have to worry about having your peace & quiet disrupted.

Wildflowers:  Pretty much all gone at this point.  Apparently the purple lupine was amazing around the end of July, so keep that in mind if you’re considering this hike for next year.

Road Conditions: Note that NF99 & NF25 are not very well maintained.  The stretches from the Cascade Peaks Information Center up to Windy Ridge are particularly bad.  In many spots along these roads, there are huge dips or potholes that force you to either swerve into the other lane or slam on the brakes.  Exceeding the speed limit here is not possible.

Overall, the whole experience was *incredible*.  The guides & volunteers were all super fun & fantastic.  Lots of great info shared along the route about the history of the mountain.

We came up last year at this time and thought it would be an amazing place to be for the Perseid AND get some miles for the H-A-T,  #hikeathon.  So we headed up on Friday with our packs.  All of the trails we traversed were in great shape.  It's apparent that trail work has been done on the lower/treed section of the Ape Canyon trail, as sections of trail are outlined by dead branches . We hiked in Friday morning from the Ape Canyon TH, in pretty warm weather.  There were some flies on the way up that liked to run into your face, they didn't seem to bite unless you stopped.  We had no issues with bugs after that, including the return trip through the same area on Sunday.   We enjoyed some limited shade at Ape Creek with a few other folks, 2 day hikers who started from the TH at the same time as us, and a couple who were finishing the Loowit.  It was while we were enjoying a break at the creek that the first of the Bigfoot 40 racers came through (actually just one guy, it took a while for the next racer to appear).   The creek is running much lower and therefore warmer than this time last year.  We were able to collect sufficient water and moved down the trail to make camp .  We watched runners pass by all afternoon/evening and into Saturday morning-headlamps ablaze.  Coyotes began sounding off shortly after sunset, making us wonder what the racers thought as they ran toward these sounds in the dark?

Saturday brought the forecasted "chance of showers".  The mountain was socked in but the morning wasn't too bad, just brief showers off and on and a breeze. As we hiked from the pumice plains toward Windy Ridge we ran across two friendly, race volunteers who were stationed at Windy Ridge overnight and were collecting the course markers from Windy Ridge back to Marble Mountain snow park. By the end of the day we felt like we were a part of the race ourselves as we collected a few missed markers ("a part" the easy way- we didn't have to run or stay up all night).  Okay so back to our hike, we had not done the section from the plains to Windy Ridge before so this is new to us- part of it is a very cool ridge walk, it was socked in so we couldn't really see much around us but it was cool anyway.   We joined the Loowit trail, then the trail to Loowit Falls.  The views were great as always, the weather just added to the drama.  Clouds lifted to reveal Spirit Lake and part of the MMBC.  Just as we got to the end of the trail at the falls, it began to sprinkle so on went the rain jackets again and we headed back.  We returned to the plains via the Loowit over Windy Pass (another section we'd not done before).  We hiked in and out of the rain, fortunately it was intermittent and there was a breeze so we were able to dry out between showers.  The heavier showers came later after we were back at camp....

We returned to camp and were able to batten down the hatches before the rain set in again. We spent the rest of the afternoon in and out of the tent as the rain came and went.   Since the forecast for Sunday was for clearer skies we set the alarm clock for midnight in hopes of catching some of the meteor shower.  The alarm sounded and voila, it was clear!  Oh yeah!  So we got to see what we came for, aside from the always-amazing scenery, a starry night sky! We didn't stay out too long, an hour or so, before fog rolled back in but we saw some decent shooting stars and took some photos. 

Sunday morning started off with a nice clear view of the mountain but had deteriorated by the time we packed up at 9:am. We hiked out in socked-in conditions.  There were several groups camped at Ape Creek as we passed through, the creek even lower than it was on Friday. On the lower half of the trail we spoke to a volunteer from Mt. St. Helens Institute who was heading up to check things out and make sure people were okay.  Traffic on  Sunday included some day hikers but the majority of the folks heading up were mountain bikers.   We reached the TH about 11:30am.

#hikeathon

Wow, wow, wow! Actually, I wowed a lot more in this hike. Amazing hike with stunning views of Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake ...and bursting wildflowers. Mount St. Helens is visible even closer/bigger than seen from the observatory/Boundary Trail as this hike lets you experience trekking on Pumice Plain in the blast zone. Spirit lake is so blue with eerie remnants of the past with dead trees still floating. Mt. Adams looms big and beautiful just to east. Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood and other peaks in the vicinity are also seen in this hike. This is very different from typical evergreen Cascade hikes; and yet, it offers its own unique beauty, geological terrain and dramatic history of mother nature since the 1980 eruption. Ditch the crowd in the observatory! It seems the Johnston observatory and Boundary Trail are often crowded with visitors whereas Windy Ridge is much less so....and views en route from FR 99 are gorgeous. There are also quite a few off-shoot trails and vista points along FR 99. FR 99 (paved) is generally in good shape, but winding and bumpy at times, so pay attention. Windy Ridge overlook As the name speaks for itself, Windy Ridge was a little breezy, but not too bad. In fact, thanks to the breeze, the temperature was comfortable and no bug! From the parking lot, I started my hike trekking up to Windy Ridge viewpoint upon the hill just behind the restroom. Take in the breathtaking pano view of Spirit Lake and Mount St. Helens. Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood are also seen in clear skies. And, look east for Mt. Adams. Windy Ridge Trail Tthe trailhead is located at the closed gate on the other side across the parking lot from the restroom. Windy Ridge Trail is a well-maintained wide dirt road which leads you to a trail junction for Abraham Trail and Windy Trail/Truman Trail in 1.75 miles. After a mile or so from the trailhead, the view opens up and Mt. Adams and Mount St. Helens come into sight....and wildflowers are blooming all over! Trail junction At the first and the second trail junctions on Windy Ridge Trail, you have a few options for hiking in Pumice Plain....follow Abraham Trail to hike up toward Plains of Abraham and loop around Windy Pass to Loowit Trail (or continue to Loowit Falls), or take Windy Trail/Loowit Trail to loop around Windy Pass via Abraham Trail counter-clockwise, or hike all the way to Loowit Falls via Windy Trail/Loowit Trail, or trek Truman Trail back and forth in Pumice Plain. Truman Trail I deiced to explore Truman Trail first, and then Windy Trail/Loowit Trail, and in the end try Abraham Trail on the way back to Windy Ridge instead of doing Plains of Abraham - Windy Pass loop. Last month I hiked Boundary Trail from the observatory to Truman Trail, and this time I wanted to explore the east side of Truman Trail. Truman Trail traverses on the north side of Pumice Plain and eventually connects to Boundary Trail which leads to the observatory. I hiked about a 3/4 mile in and out on Truman Trail to see the north face of the lava dome. It is interesting to see sandy ash and pumice rocks/boulders along the trail. You can notice how nature and landscape have been reviving since the catastrophic eruption 36 years ago. Wildflowers are not abundant on the east side of Truman Trail, however. Windy Trail/Loowit Trail Back to the trail junction after Truman Trail, following Windy Trail to Loowit Trail was a little tricky at the beginning because the trail is partially washed out. To find the trail, proceed westerly from the trail sign, but not to south....if you head south, it's dead end! Soon after crossing the dry creek, the trail appears obvious and easy to follow Windy Trail to Loowit Trail. The trail goes up and down on Pumice Plain. There is a narrow stream crossing and in 3/4 mile you come to Loowit Trail. I trekked another 1/4 mile or so toward Loowit Falls before I turned around. Enjoy Pumice Plain trekking up and down with wildflowers decorating along the trail and the view of the lave dome. (it's huge!) Spirit Lake is also seen down below to south and spectacular. Mt. Adams also greets in the eastern skyline behind Abraham Trail ridge line. Abraham Trail Back to the trail junction again from Windy Trail/Loowit Trail, before heading back to Windy Ridge trailhead parking lot, I took a short journey up to Abraham Trail to explore part of Plains of Abraham loop trail. The trail runs along a long ridge (south end of Windy Ridge) and climbs steep at first, but no worries....it's short. There are log steps connected by wire rope installed on the steep grade. I also noticed traces of bike track along Abraham Trail which indicated the trail is shared with mountain bike riders. Then, I realized the log steps with wire rope are designed for both hikers and mountain bikes. I didn't see any bike riders, however. (Perhaps, it was not weekend?) The vistas from all along the ridge are stunning left and right....Mount St. Helens/Pumice Plain, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and the valley down below to east, plus bursting wildflowers. I didn't hike all the way down to Windy Pass as I ran out of time, but the hike along the ridge was great enough for the fantastic views and good workout! If you decide to do the entire loop of Plains of Abraham (Abraham Trail - Windy Pass - Loowit Trail), I suggest to read recent trip reports on the route because some reports say the route between Abraham Trail and Loowit Trail is partially washed out, but marked with carins, and you may end up scrambling the plains. So, be aware. This was my first time to hike the northeast side of Mount St. Helens and now it has become one of my favorite hikes. Although it's a long drive from Seattle (well over 3 hrs!), this hike is certainly worth the trip for what you experience. Go soon for wildflowers as they are in full swing now. Make sure to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and enough water for this hike as it could get pretty hot and dry under sunny skies in summer!

Wow. I don't usually like hiking closed dirt roads but this one was spectacular! I've included a link to 3min of video highlights below. Wildflowers are at max I would say: lupine, paintbrush, fireweed, arnica, pearly everlasting, and a few I haven't found in the books yet. Exciting to see 4-5ft evergreens now on this part of the pumice plain. Saw a few other hikers. Great day, great hike!