Pretty soon the trail reaches a saddle where there are more great views of the mountain and surrounding scenery:
Near the junction with Boundary Trail looking south at the crater. Apparently the blast in 1980 was comparable to a ten megaton hydrogen bomb, there is a million tons in a megaton
The area around St Helens Lake is one of the most spectacular places on the planet:
Looking up toward Coldwater Peak from the Boundary Trail:
Views from the Coldwater Spur Trail are big time. The climb was incredibly tough as I have been dealing with Giardia since last week and probably should have stayed home anyway. Compound that with the fact that Joie has taken up running since moving out and it was clear that I was a saggy, baggy, washed up, good for nothing excuse of a hiker that day
Bistort and Coldwater:
The Moptops(Western Pasque Flowers) were putting on an incredible show near the summit:
Got the whole lake in the shot by the time we hit the top of Coldwater Peak(5,727ft)
Me enjoying the clouds on the summit rocks:
After lunch on the peak we hiked back down the spur trail and started our trip back to the car. About 1/2 mile up from the South Coldwater/Coldwater junction we ran into a young lady named Baylee who seemed confused and overheated in the afternoon sun. She asked us where the boat launch was and we asked her where she started etc. Her and her family were trying to make a loop around the lake using the lakes trail, coldwater trail and then the south coldwater trail back to the hwy. She was without a pack and water after running ahead of her family to try and get back to work on time. So we gave her some water and explained that there was still about 4 miles of hiking left before we would be back to the highway. Her family was still making their way up the Coldwater Trail so I left her with Joie while I ran down Coldwater a little ways to make sure everyone was doing ok/on the right track. They were extremely thankful for helping out but also thought the road was at the top of the Coldwater Trail. I explained the situation and their son and I picked up the pace to get back to Joie and Baylee. Then we hiked back down the South Coldwater Trail with a couple of new tff's:
Back at the TH we drove Baylee over to the boat launch so she could get her car and go pick up the rest of the family. Glad this one turned out ok. Ending up further into the back country at that time of the afternoon with no supplies/experience in the area could lead to an incredibly dangerous or at the very least frightening situation. Now the funny part is that in the confusion I dropped my phone heading down south coldwater with the new tffs. Mom and Dad were a little ways behind us and found the phone on their way down. They lived in Castle Rock and before figuring it all out, I ended up driving all the way back to Portland and then back up to the Longview Target where they were super nice to meet us with the phone. Woooooooh all of this driving/coordinating stuff is way harder than hiking! I have a new respect for SAR, trail crews, rescue crews, sherrifs/fire departments and good Samaritans that assist in these types of situations and so on. They are the real legends out there!
Couple that with getting lazy lately on some of the longer trips like the Loowit or Hatfields and I just assumed. I mean I've never drank much untreated water and then all of a sudden I start drinking a lot of it and bamm, I fee like crap. Someone mentioned that it might be the stomach flu that's been going around so I am hoping its just that. I also feel a lot better today which makes me think its just the flu, but ive never had the flu make me feel that bad before. Giardia just sounds so much more badass(sarcasm)
