Whittier Ridge-Lakes Loop
Nov 04, 2009
by
John Speth
—
last modified
Nov 06, 2009 08:16 AM
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Whittier Ridge-Lakes Loop
- Region: South Cascades -- Mt. St. Helens
- Agency: USFS Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
- Avg Rating: 3.40
- Be Aware Of
- Washouts
- Snow on trail
Any Mt Whittier trip report demands a stern warning: don't hike Mt Whittier Ridge unless you're an confidant and experienced hiker, have good boots, not afraid of heights, and have favorable weather conditions. Mt. Whittier gets so little trip report coverage on the web so I find it necessary to report on our hike.
I and my sister/partner decided that the window of opportunity to hike Whittier would rapidly close at the end of the week. We decided to hike the Lakes Loop and do Whittier from the north to the south. We started at the Norway Pass trailhead on the Boundary Trail #1, hiked up to Bear Pass, down to the lakes on #211, and around to the pass which marks the #211 and #214 trail junction. The trail was snow-free except for shaded portions where we found solid but bootable snow. We saw three small elk herds in and around the lakes basins.
The southbound Whittier Trail from this pass is obvious. We could see trails that went to the climbers right and the left of a rock huge block. We chose the right which might have been a mistake because within 100 feet we encountered a 50 ft section of trail that was washed out but passible only with extreme care. It required three-point traversing and at times I wished my arms were longer. There were some solid handholds but most of the holds were loose rock. Sometimes it was necessary to grab plants or dig fingers into the dirt for a solid grip. Fortunately there was very little snow or ice to cause any slippage problems.
We successfully crossed the washout, climbed back up to the ridgetop, and discovered a well-worn trail that would suggest that the better route up would have been the left hand trail. Only a return trip would confirm that. Next time I'll take the left.
Continuing on the trail was challenging but passible even with occasional snow patches. Sometimes the snow would obscure the trail and cause us to go off trail for a bit, but the trail was always findable with a little searching. The elk surprisingly use the ridgeline often. There were elk tracks everywhere. In fact most snow covered sections of the trail had elk tracks which, lucky for us, make it easier because an elk track was perfect for setting my boot into making for some surefooted walking.
After our two hour ridge traverse, we made it back to the Boundary Trail and enjoyed an easy and scenic hike back to the car.
I and my sister/partner decided that the window of opportunity to hike Whittier would rapidly close at the end of the week. We decided to hike the Lakes Loop and do Whittier from the north to the south. We started at the Norway Pass trailhead on the Boundary Trail #1, hiked up to Bear Pass, down to the lakes on #211, and around to the pass which marks the #211 and #214 trail junction. The trail was snow-free except for shaded portions where we found solid but bootable snow. We saw three small elk herds in and around the lakes basins.
The southbound Whittier Trail from this pass is obvious. We could see trails that went to the climbers right and the left of a rock huge block. We chose the right which might have been a mistake because within 100 feet we encountered a 50 ft section of trail that was washed out but passible only with extreme care. It required three-point traversing and at times I wished my arms were longer. There were some solid handholds but most of the holds were loose rock. Sometimes it was necessary to grab plants or dig fingers into the dirt for a solid grip. Fortunately there was very little snow or ice to cause any slippage problems.
We successfully crossed the washout, climbed back up to the ridgetop, and discovered a well-worn trail that would suggest that the better route up would have been the left hand trail. Only a return trip would confirm that. Next time I'll take the left.
Continuing on the trail was challenging but passible even with occasional snow patches. Sometimes the snow would obscure the trail and cause us to go off trail for a bit, but the trail was always findable with a little searching. The elk surprisingly use the ridgeline often. There were elk tracks everywhere. In fact most snow covered sections of the trail had elk tracks which, lucky for us, make it easier because an elk track was perfect for setting my boot into making for some surefooted walking.
After our two hour ridge traverse, we made it back to the Boundary Trail and enjoyed an easy and scenic hike back to the car.
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