The Johnson Observatory was semi-swamped with bus tours. Which in of it’s self wouldn’t be so bad, except that they leave their engines running. We began this lollipop like hike from the opposite end, at the Hummock trailhead.
The destruction and newness of St Helens hasn’t worn off for me yet. Steep crumbly hillsides of sand, rock, and ash; first succession plants, and newby forests of Red Alder; alongside the dominating presence of the blast zone. It is just incredible. The Hummock Trail was a completely new concept for us. Hummocks are rounded piles of dirt. These piles were deposited about 10 miles from St Helens when the initial explosions occurred. They resemble dump-truck loads of dirt just absent-mindedly dropped in a field.
Since the eruption many of the spaces between piles (err, hummocks) have filled up with water. The entire area has become a new, innocent forest. Waterfowl thrives in these small ponds, and a Red Alder forest has sprung up. The trail winds in and out of these ponds and hills. The loop is done in a quick 2 miles. At the far end of the loop we chose to continue hiking the Boundary Trail as it rises up a ridge line to the Johnson Observatory.
Signs of elk were everywhere, but alas no sightings. Nearly as hard to see were the succulent, fresh strawberries. We ate more than a few of those. The wildflowers were great and the crowds along the trail minimal. This loop section of our hike was a great hike for kids.
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