Goat Creek — Friday, Aug. 25, 2000

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens

This is the Goat Peak east of Chinook Pass. Our maneuver to avoid drippy west-side weather was rewarded with a 360-degree view and partly to mostly sunny skies. Clouds around and just east of the crest interfered with some views (the top of Rainier made intermittent appearances above the clouds, but Adams, the Goat Rocks, the topmost peaks of Nelson Ridge, Stuart, etc., remained shrouded). The Fifes Peaks, Bumping Lake, American Ridge, the Bumping and American River valleys, and the series of ridges stretching toward central Washington were all perfectly visible. Surprisingly, we had all this to ourselves (we did meet another party coming up as we descended). This trail (the south approach to Goat Peak) starts on the north side of the Bumping River road, about 50 yards before the turnoff to Cougar Flat Campground on the south side. The trail first wanders backward along the Bumping River road for perhaps 150 yards, then goes to work gaining altitude. The Goat Creek Trail is rarely steep, and then not for long. It has been thoroughly logged out for the first 3 miles, and the problem blowdowns removed for the remaining mile. Only a few views prior to the last few yards before the ridgeline. Turn right on the ridgeline at the intersection with American Ridge Trail #958 (going straight ahead at the apparent 4-way junction merely deposits you in a campsite) and continue for another long mile to just below the summit of Goat Peak (reached by a very easy semi-trail/semi-scramble perhaps 40 feet above the through trail). The trail steepens somewhat in the final half-mile of switchbacks up to the peak. Flowers pretty well scorched out below, but a few remain along and near the ridge, including a bit of Scarlet Gilia. Goat Creek trail is in fairly good shape. A bit of drainage work appears to have been done recently. It could stand some more, but no big problems. American Ridge Trail #958 in this area seems to be getting some horse use; if this continues, some trailwork is probably going to be needed in a few years on steep slopes.