Allen Mount #269
Sep 08, 2006
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Allen Mountain
- Region: South Cascades -- White Pass / Cowlitz River Valley
- Trails: Allen Mountain (#269)
- Avg Rating: 3.80
- Be Aware Of
- Overgrown
Allen Mountain Trail #269
This trail is open to motorcyles, mountain bikes, horses and hikers, but it is rarely used by motorcycles because it has many obstacles and fallen trees. It is not often used by hikers, either. The main hazard for hikers are the numerous holes tunneled by rodents under the trail, often obscured by dense brush hanging over the trail from both sides. It would be easy to misstep into one of the holes and strain or break an ankle.
The trail first ascends through young growth to a gap where you look down on a clearcut basin on the other side. From the gap a faint side trail leads a few hundred yards back to a viewpoint on top of a ridge. The trail descends through a thicket of salmon berries and goats beard (watch for gopher holes) and enters a short stretch of old growth trees. It switches back once, moves to the other side of the ridge and opens up onto another clearcut at a low gap. From this low gap you have a good view of Mt. Rainier. The trail then ascends the long massif of Allen Mtn. proper, first in a series of 8 switchbacks, then another 14 switchbacks where it gains sufficient elevation to provide good views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams.
The USFS trail info at
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/trails/locations/cvd-0269-allen-mountain.shtml
describes this trail incorrectly by stating that it ""climbs 2.5 miles to the *** top *** of Allen Mountain"". It never reaches the true top which the maps indicate at 5095 ft. elev.! Instead, the trail only skirts the various peaks on their southern flank and stays at least 300 ft. below the true ridge line. On an earlier hike where we started from Cougar Gap, we scrambled up to a ridge and attempted to follow the ridge to a view point, but were not successful because much of the ridge was forested.
The distance to the junction with Greenwood Lake Trail #253 at Cougar Gap is about 4 miles. Along its course, elevation varies from 4240 to 4720 ft. There are rocky ledges and stretches with battered old-growth forest. One stretch across an open slope is totally overgrown with Bracken Fern (watch for gopher holes). The best views toward Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams are from some of the rocky ledges. Between the rocky ledges there are brushy sections rich in blueberries (when in season). On this day, we explored only the eastern 2/3 of the full length of the ridge until we connected with where we had hiked the year before.
Maps: USDA Forest Service ""Glacier View and Tatoosh Wildernesses"" scale 1:63630, GPO 1990-792863
How to get there:
Drive SR 706 from Elbe through Ashford to FR 52, also marked as leading to Packwood and Big Creek Campground. FR 52 curves around where FR 85 branches off. Stay on FR 52 (paved) about 2 miles east of Big Creek C.G. to the start of FR 84 (sign indicating High Rock trailhead at 9 mi., gravel and many pot holes in the lower parts of the road). FR 84 crosses Big Creek on a bridge and passes several branches (8410 to Teeley Cr., 8410 to Big Creek/Cora Lake, 8440 to High Rock) until you reach the 8460 turnoff with 2 more miles to go to the trailhead. Road 8460 is in better shape than some of the lower sections of FR84. It ends at a turnaround and parking area, shortly after a 4WD spur splits off to the right (uphill). A 4WD road continues another 0.1 mi. beyond the lower parking spot and ends at a turnaround that is littered with hunters' trash. For most vehicles it is best to turn around at the lower wide spot, but please park out of the predicted path of several unstable rocks that are suspended loosely on the slope above and ready to roll at any moment. Instead of driving back on potholed FR84, you can also continue on FR84 across Silver Creek Pass to a junction with FR47, and then follow FR47 east towards Packwood. This is a little longer, but the last mile before FR47 crosses Skate Creek and comes onto FR52 is paved with smooth asphalt which makes driving a lot easier.
Elevation gain 930 ft. inbound, 410 ft. outbound.
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