Elevation Gain: Approximately 5500 ft.
Time: 8:30 am - 5:45 pm
Weather: Mostly sunny and warm, really warm, warmer than last week.
Last week's hike was like a shot in the arm. All week I felt great and excited about hiking. This weekend was the Washington coast clean-up which I did last year with four students on Easter weekend, week 34. I was planning on doing this again, and I had two students ready to go on Monday. By the end of the week, the two students couldn't go, and instead of doing an overnighter, I was going to clean the beach all day Saturday with Gil and his son. Friday night we planned to meet at 5:30 am on Saturday. When the alarm went off at 4:30 am, I was too tired, I called Gil, and I bailed on him.
When I finally got out of bed Saturday (around 1 pm), I was feeling a bit guilty, and I started planning my hike for Sunday. I did what I usually do, go to wta.org and look on the hike finder map. I was searching for an 8~12 mile hike, and I wanted something new. I started looking at the Google Map of all my hikes compared to the hike finder. There was an option in the South Cascades. When I clicked the link in hike finder, it popped up as Mount Saint Helens. I have seen this mountain a lot but have never hiked near it. I read about the summit hike, and I figured if I got an early start it would be doable. I texted Ryan and Creighton, and they both couldn't go. I texted a buddy in Seattle, and he too was busy. I had a tentative plan, but I was still uncommitted. I woke up at 4:30 am on Sunday and decided to go for it.
I was at the Lone Fir Cafe and Resort to register my climb around 8 am. I was at the trailhead by 8:20.
Wish I had more time to write this blog because there was a lot that went on inside my head. No time, though. I am leaving for a 4 day 3 night trip in a matter of hours and still haven't purchased my food.
It took 7 hours to reach the summit. At times the hike was peaceful and I was completely alone. Other times it was painful and was almost crowded. The people were awesome. Met lots of great people climbing that day. I glissaded down most of the way. The decent took 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Orchid: Going through my head and reaching the summit.
Onion: Weirdness on the way down, physically.
Google Map
It is nice to see what we could not see on our trip there. Winds were howling, and the snow was more icy, pelting sideways onto our faces. No visibility. And very cold. Still a beautiful trip up that mountain though!
ReplyDeletewhat was the weirdness part?
ReplyDeleteJana - I got really warm in my face while on the decent. I felt dehydrated and too hot. I took a good 10 minutes in the shade and drank water. I was feeling well enough, but it was the second week in a row, I had a little weirdness...
ReplyDelete