Hummocks Trail, Boundary West — Sunday, Apr. 13, 2025

I should have read the trail description better. I was so excited to do this hike based on the trip reports that I realized while trying very hard not to look down but look down for a number of sketchy sections I might have passed on this particular adventure. I would have missed out hugely, but still. Let's talk about not being scared of heights and discovering there are some heights you are scared of! The trail is so lovely for a long while and then boom, you stop cold and look around because Surely, you missed the actual trail. Nope. That tiny eroded barely there section of loose rocks with the incredibly steep drop off is your trail. That happened multiple times. The thing I was concerned about, the little 1/4 mile of snow that is even less than that now, is no biggie except for the descent to the road. The previous footprints in the snow lead to a very short but steep path to the road/JRO parking lot. I made it without slipping or falling so it's very doable. 

The cool people I came across: 

1st: a young woman I chatted with about how apocolypitc the place felt with the weeds breaking through the cracks in the road and the emptiness of the space.

2nd: a young man I commiserated with about the sketchy sections on the trail and how walking back on the road seemed very inviting desptite adding 2 more miles to the treck. He seemed shaken up by the sketchy sections and said he was taking the road back. I said there were 5 or 6 sketchy sections, but I was going to give it a go. I counted on the way back, 18 sketchy sections going back down.

3rd and 4th: Pete and Wayne sharing their Mt. St. Helens eruptions stories. That was very cool.

I won't do this one again, but it was an adventure for sure. Poles are your friends. More water than you usually pack except for the runner dude who ran the whole thing with no pack, no water. 

Few last things: 

There is no bathroom at the large lot. The gift shot/visitor center about twenty or thirty minutes back is open from 10-4pm with bathrooms.

There was a ranger keeping things legit at the parking lot when I returned. 

There were a few speed traps on I-5 in the morning. Set cruise control and don't ruin your morning.

Last thing!! The wind. Oh the wind. I swear there is some wind that carries voices. That's this wind. Be prepared that while you are traversing these sketchy sections, you might get hit with a wallup of wind. Have the layers at the ready and the hood and gloves.