Mount Adams

Second to None

Washington's second highest summit is by no means second rate. While Mount Rainier is certainly Washington state's "mountain," 12,276-foot Adams deserves more respect than being the runner-up. Adams is bulkier than Rainier making it a more massive mountain. And being located farther east than Rainier and Washington's other snow cone volcanoes, the terrain here is much drier. Lacking are the lush wildflower meadows that make Rainier famous. But Adams has its own mystique-pumice flats and alpine tundra and massive lava flows. This week I was able to make it to Devils Garden, the highest point on the Mount Adams Highline Trail. Here at the border between the Mount Adams Wilderness and the Yakima Nation you can stare out at an expanse of golden eastern Washington hills as well as glacial draped Rainier, the jagged Goat Rocks and the serrated spine of the Dark Divide. And mountain goats! My hiking partners, wife Heather and brother Doug, and I were able to watch over 40 goats ply the rugged alpine flats between the Lyman and Wilson Glaciers. Many years ago I was forced to turnaround on the Highline because I could not get across a swollen glacial melt creek. Not this week-the creek was negotiable and we made it to the Devils Garden. Its a 20 mile round trip from the Muddy Meadows Trailhead-and yes, its a featured trip in my upcoming Backpacking Book. You have one more day this month before the weather turns nasty to reach this spectacular destination. Otherwise, put it on your 2010 hiking calendar!

(Photo-Heather hops across a fork of Muddy Creek)

The Greening of St Helens

I just finished up 37 miles of great hiking in the Mount St Helens area and let me tell you that it is amazing how fast the forest and landscape are coming back to life there. I first hiked the region in 1989 over a blasted land of gray, gray and more gray! Now the ridges are green-sub alpine firs are over 20 feet tall. Just amazing. Lots of wildlife and wildflowers and surprisingly very little people. My 21 mile loop down the Green River Valley and back along Vanson Peak and Goat Mountain I saw no one! And my 16.5 mile hike into the Mount Margaret Backcountry Lakes I only encountered one person-the backcountry ranger! No one around! So, if you are looking for a nice wilderness experience in the St Helens region-I have two picked out for you. They'll be in my upcoming book, Backpacking Washington. Next week I move back up to the volcano in chief, Rainier! See you on the trail!