2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

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Peder
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2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by Peder » January 29th, 2015, 10:03 pm

I had a great day out in the open Sunday and thought I would share a few pictures:

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There is an ambitious beaver working on the Hummocks Trail!

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As the Johnston Ridge Observatory (JRO) road is gated by the Hummocks TH, you get to walk up the Boundary Trail. Here elk are enjoying the sights at Loowit Viewpoint.

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Did you know that the lighting fixtures are taken down in the JRO parking lot for the winter?

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The trail 2 miles out from the JRO at the elbow. This section of trail does not bear Mrs. Peabody's seal of approval!

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More elk; I saw about 26 during the day.

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Looking back at Harry's Ridge (to the left), Mt St Helens and JRO to the far right.

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At the hairpin before the arch I donned microspikes for the first time in my life! They worked fine, but I could have done without. Another hiker had done the identical loop one or two days before me. He/she had harder snow conditions and did far less postholong than I.

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Just after the arch.

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A barely frozen St Helens Lake with from left to right: Mt Rainier, the Dome and Mt Margaret.

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Looking back at the saddle above the lake (left) and Mt Adams.

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Logging equipment on the South Coldwater trail. I saw the only person of the day around here...

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On the way home I stopped at the Castle Lake Viewpoint. From left to right: Mt Venus, Mt Minnie, Mt Whittier, (Mt Margaret), the Dome, Coldwater Peak (and Coldwater Science & Learning Center below) and Mt Adams.

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Mt St Helens

At the moment the conditions are good, although I got to do a mile or so of postholing.
Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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romann
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by romann » January 30th, 2015, 12:09 am

Spectacular pictures! That's a long loop. Elk are usually stealthy there, nice to see so many close to a trail.

I don't recall the lighting on JRO parking lot ever being on - maybe they took the lighting fixtures for good?

That ridge with the arch, every time I get there, it strikes me "did the arch collapse?" - cannot really see the arch until you're right in front of it. How did snow on Coldwater Peak look like, is the east slope still all covered? Any recent tracks?

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kepPNW
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by kepPNW » January 30th, 2015, 4:50 am

Really good to see what it's looking like up there! The near total lack of snow is just astounding. Not that there was so very much more last year...

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1/26/2014: Looks like the lighting poles, at least, are still up.

Those elk really come out when you're doing that loop solo! :)
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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Eric Peterson
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by Eric Peterson » January 30th, 2015, 6:44 am

Thanks for the snow update, was wondering if any snow existed up around those parts :)

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woodswalker
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by woodswalker » January 30th, 2015, 7:47 am

It was so nice to see another report right after I had been near there. It was especially nice to see the peaks names. Some of them I was able to name during my hike, others not, since we were moving along somewhat quickly. Nice to know there is at least a little snow higher up.
Woodswalker

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-Q-
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by -Q- » January 30th, 2015, 4:48 pm

I watched the beaver swim around his pond on the Hummocks Trail for quite a while back in November.
He is a big guy.

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Peabody
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by Peabody » January 30th, 2015, 9:40 pm

Peder wrote: Image
The trail 2 miles out from the JRO at the elbow. This section of trail does not bear Mrs. Peabody's seal of approval!
:shock: :lol: :lol: No it would not.
"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”
― E.B. White

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Peder
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by Peder » January 30th, 2015, 10:57 pm

romann wrote:How did snow on Coldwater Peak look like, is the east slope still all covered? Any recent tracks?
There were no tracks on Coldwater Peak and there was still some snow on its east side.
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Some people are really fit at eighty; thankfully I still have many years to get into shape…

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kepPNW
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by kepPNW » January 31st, 2015, 8:00 am

Peder wrote:
romann wrote:How did snow on Coldwater Peak look like, is the east slope still all covered? Any recent tracks?
There were no tracks on Coldwater Peak and there was still some snow on its east side.
Seems to be melting fast. Another angle, taken yesterday (1/30/15)...
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Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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romann
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Re: 2015-01-25 St Helens Lake

Post by romann » February 1st, 2015, 12:08 am

Thanks Peder and Karl. That looks even better than I thought (July snow conditions?). I'll put it on my list for the next sunny weekend,

Roman

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