MSH from Crescent Ridge
The hike was about 11.5 miles and 2850 elevation gain
The trail started through fairly recent mud/rock avalanche (happened some time after my first hike there), but in about 1/3 mile it crosses Coldspring Creek and enters live, ancient forest
Blue Lake has a good side trail to it, I skipped it this time
Maples were definitely good on sheltered parts of the trail
...while being almost done for the season on windy slopes
Mushrooms added color, too
As did thimbleberries
I have nothing for scale, but these trees are big. Very clean forest, too - you can walk in any direction off the trail, not much undergrowth
At Sheep Canyon, I took the trail on the right uphill & along the canyon (trail straight crosses it on the bridge, I will come back that way). There were a couple of narrow views of MSH over the canyon, but the mountain was mostly hidden in clouds. The weather was still uncertain at this point.
But as I reached Loowit Trail's upper crossing of Sheep Canyon, it decided to clear up
The summit was still in the clouds, but as I'd learn later, it wouldn't be visible from this point behind a lower ridge. Canyon crossing was uneventful - 2 or 3 steep gullies probably up to 10 feet deep, and after so much rain the creek was still dry.
Lots of super-healthy beargrass up there (2-foot big "pillows"). Note to self - need to come back here in July. Also saw some lupine
Is it pretty late for paintbrush?
These Oregon Suns got not only the timing, but also the state wrong
Looking back at the canyon, with some snags killed by eruption. I was right near blast zone boundary
Still some red on huckleberries
Blast area here is mostly overgrown with young trees, that still allow the view of the mountain
Soon, the view of S Fork Toutle River Canyon opens up (second canyon behind a small ridge in this picture), and you can see all the peaks of Margaret Backcountry further to the NE
and fresh snow cap on Mt. Adams (right)
This lenticular started growing "in the middle of nowhere", I couldn't tell over which landmark it formed other than probably St. Helens crater walls made the wind blow this way
Still growing...
Looking back on the mountain as we started our descent
The trail goes along the canyon for a while, then ducks back into the forest. This was the only non-maintained stretch of the trail (probably 1.5 miles) with a few rough places, but certainly the most scenic part of the hike. Other parts of this loop look to be brushed out this past summer and in great condition.
Toutle Ridge sure looks interesting, and as I understand it's mostly state forest/BLM land, but with current road access it will be a multi-day trip. Probably next summer...
On the other side of the ridge, the trail gets close to this unnamed canyon. We'll cross the creek down there 2 miles later...
Back on the north side of the ridge - S Fork Toutle River, another trail junction and our lowest point of the hike
But a bit before the lower junction this sign (for those facing uphill) almost sent me backtracking. My map said 1.5 miles to Sheep Canyong Trail from that junction, so it looked like I missed it by 1.25 miles?
Luckily I continued some more downhill and soon found my junction. No signs is better than wrong signs 
Lenticular had grown quite a bit by now
Saw some more fall colors in the sheltered canyon
And those huge shrooms (not the biggest, I was just lazy to walk off-trail). Some blowdown here and wet crossing of 2 creeks, then a looong uphill.
Rounded the last ridge to this view of Sheep Canyon bridge. At least I don't have to walk down this one
St. Helens view from Sheep Canyon bidge
The last hour or so, I went by flashlight but it was a part I saw earlier in the day.
Great hike and very diverse - with lake, impressive old growth, flowers, huckleberries (earlier in the season), fall colors, mountain and canyon views, mossy creeks, areas desolated by eruption... Will certainly do this loop again next fall
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