Mt. Adams Loop Trip, Day3, Hellroaring Canyon to Horseshoe Meadows (2018/07/24)

Camp 2, daybreak

Looking down the Hellroaring Valley

Looking toward Hellroaring Falls and Adams
The previous evening, I went to bed at around 7:30 and got up on day 3 at about 5:45. I was on the trail by 6:30. I decided not to use GPS today and thought I could sniff out the main trail once I reached the popular viewpoint. Perhaps my sniffing abilities are not that great as I followed a trail along the ridge above Hellroaring valley. The trail got smaller and smaller until it entered a burned forest and disappeared. I backtracked a little and hunted around finally popped out on a road in the Yakima Reservation. I guess I was taking the long way this day. It probably added about 1.5-2miles extra and I missed the trail through Bird Meadows. I shrugged and walked on, finally back on the map and following known trails.

It was very quiet. Several fallen logs had prevented the ATVs from going further on the road and it turned into a footpath. Eventually I reached the Bird Creek Picnic area. I don't know anything about this location, but it appears to have once been a drive-up picnic area complete with water pipes and tables. It looks deserted and none of the pipes had water. Again I took the wrong fork and had to back track but really was not caring because it was so quiet and peaceful.

This sign was along the ATV road in the Yakima Reservation on the way to Bird Creek Picnic Area
Soon I reached the South Adams junction and the fork which goes off to the main climbing route. Here I saw three people taking a break under a tree. In all I saw about a dozen people throughout the day. I was now on the Round-the-Mountain trail. There were occasionally views of Adams as well as Hood and eventually St. Helens. The trail went in and out of many burned areas and crossed a few lava flows. I had lunch at a shady creek. This is the kind of day I really enjoy: not too stressful, nowhere to be and nothing to care for. The trail was also pretty level with very few ups or downs. I crossed a few glacial washes, but all were easily rock-hopped and pretty small compared to similar features at Rainier. I saw tons of flowers, birds, and two groups of goats.
Mt. Hood in the distance



South side of Mt. Adams
 
First view of Mt. St. Helens

View of S. Adams climbing route


Glacial creek

Wide open views to the south


Mt. St. Helens





I made camp fairly early after about 12 miles at an established camping area about 1 mile from the PCT. It reminded me of Klapatche Park because there was a massive view of Mt. Adams, a large meadow, and several camps. I was the only person who stayed there that night though I did chat with a trail runner passing through in the evening. The sunrise was again slow and peaceful and I spent the majority of the late afternoon in the tent out of the heat and away from the bugs.

While watching the twilight, I saw three raptors come out of the trees near camp. They chased each other up into the sky, then one flew off and the other two found a thermal and rose up and up into the sky until I could not see them anymore.






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