South Coldwater - Johnston Ridge loop. Solstice, 2014

[payslee]

.

[acorn woodpecker]

And a happy solstice to you! What a good one you had. Views, flowers, and wildlife are stellar in those parts and you captured it magnificently. Bosterson and I were up on Mt. Minnie celebrating the solstice, as well.

Can you spot the trail going up that valley? More importantly, let me know if you are interested in a hike or backpack up into there.

That trail up Coldwater Canyon is a great one. It's around eight miles from the Coldwater trailhead to the first campsite at Snow Lake just below Pleasant Pass (the prominent notch to the northwest of Whittier Ridge in top center of your photo. What a good backpacking location that would be as then you're reasonable dayhiking distance to Mt. Whittier, Mt. Margaret, and the lakes along the Lakes Trail. I've never stayed there but have passed by it on (long) dayhikes. Remote and wonderful country and I think that's the least visited part of the Mt. Margaret backcountry.

[kepPNW]

Gotta be near the top of my all-time favorite hikes! Great solstice pick. And you nailed that bloom below JRO, too. (Last time I did this one in June, my camera battery died a mile shy of JRO - ugh!) I've been very intrigued by that valley above Coldwater. Would love to go exploring that sometime.

[TheOtherBob]

Can you spot the trail going up that valley? More importantly, let me know if you are interested in a hike or backpack up into there.

Oh NO--now look what you've gone and done...

25 miles at just over 10,000'... maybe just a tad bit more on both counts if you throw in a side-trip to Shovel lake and chase the whole lot with a quick shot up Coldwater Peak... slightly uncomfortable, but within sniping range... This site will kill me yet, with all its goodness.

Does anyone know about the small trail disconnect in the inset, or have anything to report about the the "Blowdown" text in the lower right of the inset?

[TheOtherBob]

Hmm--I refined the route and took into account proper visits to all the lakes (who isn't a sucker for lakes?), and it's closer to 29 mi and 11,300'... which is physically POSSIBLE, but really reserved for those times when one really has no other choice... like this:

... and since that doesn't happen to me very often (and if it happens to you, PLEASE let me know, because I want to come on YOUR trips), you are right on with the overnight suggestion.

Lovely pictures! Thank you for sharing.

[Eric Peterson]

Wow Payslee! Great shots in such a awesome area! I really gotta get up there this year, need some area
experts to go with too

[payslee]

Bosterson and I were up on Mt. Minnie celebrating the solstice, as well.

Pics! Pics or it didn't happen. I took about 50 of Minnie in the morning as I headed up the ridge - I'll see if I can spot you two dancing on the rocks up there

Oh NO--now look what you've gone and done...

25 miles at just over 10,000'... maybe just a tad bit more on both counts if you throw in a side-trip to Shovel lake and chase the whole lot with a quick shot up Coldwater Peak... slightly uncomfortable, but within sniping range... This site will kill me yet, with all its goodness.

Kep pointed me to two awesome TRs who've done big routes up (or down) that valley. For further enticement: http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... =8&t=12533 and

http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/vie ... =8&t=16353


Thanks Kep! And thanks Acorn for confirming there's a campsite at Snow Lake, just like there should be

And Thanks Roy and Kep for all your recent glowing reports of this side of St. Helens.

What? EP, this place was practically designed for epic loops. Get on up! It was my first time on about 18 miles of my route, with only the last half mile or so one I'd seen before. These nice long days are so awesome. Even a slowpoke like me can see, basically, everything.

-payslee

[aircooled]

Wow!!!! Spectacular photos! I've been thinking about St. Helens a lot lately. I haven't been in the Coldwater area since December. Those wildflower displays are the icing on the cake! Thanks for the TR.

[acorn woodpecker]

Bosterson and I were up on Mt. Minnie celebrating the solstice, as well.

Pics! Pics or it didn't happen. I took about 50 of Minnie in the morning as I headed up the ridge - I'll see if I can spot you two dancing on the rocks up there

Here you go.

We were dancing alright! We were gazing across to South Coldwater Ridge the whole way up. I pulled out the binoculars to see if anyone was on Coldwater Peak, but didn't check the ridge. Interestingly, the sign post on Coldwater Saddle was visible!

[Sean Thomas]

Great pics and glad you decided on doing this one, payslee. I don't think anyone who hikes 20 miles in a day is a slow poke