Surrounded By Volcanoes - Mt. St. Helens Natl. Volcanic Monument, 7.7.19 - 7.9.19: Part 2 of 4
So we made it through the first day and night with no rain to speak of. We had barely seen any other people and no one else had camped at Obscurity Lake our first night. Our original plan (and our permit) had us hiking another five miles to Shovel Lake Camp which would have left us with a ten mile pack out the last day. After deliberating, we decided that the odds of Obscurity Camp filling up were slim to none so we made the command decision to be scofflaws and left our camp set up at Obscurity Lake for the second night. This left us with all day to wear tiny little day packs and hike out to the end of Whittier Ridge and back which sounded a whole lot better than trudging a heavy backpack even further from the trailhead. We awoke to a much sunnier day than our first one and it bolstered our enthusiasm to see some blue sky.
Our camp at Obscurity Lake. Today’s route would take us up and over Obscurity Pass which is the low point above the two tents.
After breakfast we got everything situated and hit the trail. The sun felt great and we were in equally great spirits as we climbed high above our camp towards the pass.
Flowers along the trail
In short order we attained Obscurity Pass and were greeted with a view beyond devastated timber from the blast down to Panhandle Lake. The hike down to and along the lake was particularly beautiful.
The view from Obscurity Pass. Our route would take us down to and past the lake and up along the ridge line beyond the lake.
Panhandle Lake. The amount of downed timber from the blast was just incredible.
Arriving at Panhandle Lake the air was still quite calm and we had good reflections in the water.
Panhandle reflection
Beyond Panhandle Lake the trail crossed a creek and began to climb along a steep ridge line towards the next lake called Shovel Lake. This section of trail was fun as it hugged the edge of the ridge with sheer cliffs dropping off down towards Shovel Lake. To the north was the beautiful Green River Valley. At one spot we had a great view of both Panhandle Lake and Shovel Lake.
Green River Valley
Greg and Cindy on the ridge above Panhandle Lake
Panhandle Lake on left and Shovel Lake on the right
Shovel Lake. If we had followed our original plan, camp 2 would have been down by the far shore of this lake.
Avalanche Lilies
Beyond the cutoff to the Shovel Lake Camp the trail gently meandered a ways past the now abandoned Whittier Ridge Trail to Pleasant Pass.
Greg and Cindy on the trail between Shovel Lake and Pleasant Pass.
Clouds were beginning to roll in near Pleasant Pass as we worked our way through timber strewn hillsides covered in Beargrass.
Beargrass below Pleasant Pass
Downed timber near Pleasant Pass
At the junction to the Whittier Ridge Trail
Continue on to Part 3