Mt St. Helens Ride

As advertised, this past weekend was spend making a jaunt into Seattle for a visit to REI on Saturday followed by a journey South and a bit East to Mt St. Helens for a mountain bike ride.

I believe I'd mentioned this coming weekend is a three-day weekend for me.  My intent is to walk into the woods early Friday morning and not walk out until Sunday evening.  I'll be headed to the Staircase area of Olympic National Park for some back country backpacking.

I needed a few odds and ends before this trip so Saturday I made way East via ferry to Seattle.  For those not in the know, REI is not the only cool outdoor gear store.  First I stopped at Outdoor Research.  I'd been meaning to stop there for some time.  I'd found my 25% off coupon from the Gear Up Expo in Everett and wanted to put it to use.  If you've not been, go.  It doesn't have a huge retail store (in Seattle at least), but, trust me - the trip will be worth it.  You'll see.

Post Outdoor Research I did make it to REI and laid down triple digits $$$ on stuff I didn't even intend to buy.  That store has that effect on me.  Poorer, I now have everything I could ask for, for the backpacking trip this coming weekend.

Sunday I was up early to drive the 3.667 hours (three hours, forty minutes) to Mt St. Helens to meet Portlanders for a mountain bike ride.  See, it was Uma's birthday, it was a mountain bike ride, and in a place I'd not been......how could I not go?

After the meet and greet we were off.  And by off, I should explain.  It's been a bit since I've been biking with much regularity.  And, the bike with gears - the Ellsworth - is in the shop with a brake issue.  I was riding the too-high-geared-for-this-ride Surly Karate Monkey single speed.  Let's just say I was not going to be in contention for fastest biker.

This ride started as many rides do in the Pacific Northwest, in the woods and with a climb.  The trail was in excellent condition.

After a bit the trees started to break and I was given my first look at Mt St. Helens proper.

 

Other great views included, but were not limited to Mt Hood.....

.... and Mt Adams.

But, the focal point keeping my mind off my heavy breathing and high heart rate was St. Helens.

As we climbed the harder packed dirt trail in the woods gave way to gravelly "cat litter (as described by Uma)" pumice volcanic rock stuff.  More than 30 year after the eruption and there's vegetation but not much in the form of trees growing.

We started sort of in the opposite side of the mountain that the main blast direction was.  We climbed up going around the mountain in a counter-clockwise direction.  We ended up in the main blast area.  Given the scenery and lack of vegetation, it's hard to wrap your mind around how powerful the eruption was - not too mention the sound it must have made.  Wow.

I can only assume the rock cairns were exposed from eruption apparently left by aliens.

It was sort of like riding on the moon.  Lunar thoughts brought on looney behavior.  It was not long after we stopped when a juggling contest broke out.

The picture above of the juggling by me.  But, the video below by Uma.

There are even remnants of trees indicating the blast path.

If you're ever in the neighbourhood, I highly recommend riding the trails at Mt St. Helens.  Yes, there's climbing.  But, the views will take your mind off that.  I know I'll be back.  But, I'll be back in better condition and with a bike with gears.

A huge thanks to riders Michael, Sam, Andrew, and Pace.  A huger thanks to Uma for the invitation on her birthday ride.

Application In

I've sent in my back country camping permit application to the National Parks Service.  Specifically, I've made application to backpack and camp August 2nd, 3rd, and 4th - my first three-day weekend in August.

I've elected to make application to the Staircase area of the park.  It is in the Southeastern corner of the park near Lake Cushman.

Click the picture for bigger if you're interested in following along.

My tentative game plan is to park the truck at the Staircase Ranger Station early Friday morning.  From there I'd head up the trail to Flapjacks Lake.  According to the map - a nifty 7.5 miles.  I'd camp overnight there Friday night.

Saturday I'm planning on backtracking to the fork in the trail and then taking the left-hand fork up to Nine Stream campsite.  I'd camp overnight at Nine Stream.  If mileages on the map are correct, 9.6 miles for the day.

Sunday I'd pack up and head back to the truck at the Staircase Ranger Station - 9.1 miles.  As you can see, no distance records.  But, decent distances to check the gear and see some of the park.

Olympic National Park's Wilderness Trip Planner page is HERE.  A PDF version map of the whole park, along with campsite lists, food storage methods, and toilet facilities, is HERE.  If you download the map, you can zoom in to certain areas a bit easier than online, I think.

This coming weekend is sort of planned out.  Saturday I plan to do stuff around here and also head to Seattle, REI specifically, also do some chores, and chill.  Sunday I've been invited along on a mountain bike ride around Mt. St. Helens.  A video of the trail to be ridden is here:

With the Ellsworth in the shop with a brake issue, I'll be riding the single speed, hardtail, Surly Karate Monkey.  From the video I should get my climbing workout in!  Regardless, I've not been to Mt St. Helens yet and it's also been awhile since I've been on a mountain bike.  Two birds, one stone!

Backpacking

I've been thinking the first weekend in August might be a good time to head to North Cascades National Park on a three-day weekend for some backpacking.  Reading the trails report, I'm giving this second thoughts.  I might elect to do this the third weekend in August.

I'm going to contact the Olympic National Park people instead.  Perhaps I can score a back country permit for an area there, instead.  If so, I'll do a backpacking thing there.

I was looking at my gear and assembling a tentative gear list.  I think I'm pretty well set.  I might head to REI and pick up some trekking poles, though.  And, as long as I'm there, a few more stuff sacks might be handy.

I think I'll yard-sale my gear on the living room floor and then pack it.  I want to see just how heavy, or not, it turns out to be.  I'll include a full water bladder and a couple of other water bottles full along with the food I'd need for the trip.

I'll pack one full set of clothes and assume I'll be wearing another set for weight purposes.  I'm of the one-day-to-wear-one-day-to-air in backpacking clothes philosophy.  I could grunge it out for just three days, but, I'm considering this three-day trip a test run for longer runs.

In other news, I'm going to try to get the full-suspension, geared mountain bike to the shop tonight.  The front brake is rubbing and I can't figure out what's up with it.  I'm thinking some mountain biking this coming weekend and having this fixed would be nice.