Current Conditions on St. Helens

On this page I'll post current conditions for the run. Please e-mail me your info if you do the run and have information to add that other runners may find useful.

A group of us went around the Loowit yesterday. This was by far the worst conditions I have seen this route in. Several of the washes that haven't been problematic in the past have been scoured out - the most notable is on the ESE side (I believe it's the Big Muddy). It probably would have been easier to follow the route there if we hadn't been in the clouds and mist most of the day. The Toutle crossing was no more challenging than it has been in the past few years - as long as you know where you're supposed to be heading, you'll find the trail. But the route has been re-marked relatively well in the areas that have washed out, and we added a few more cairns to mark the route. I think it will continue to get easier as more people get up there. The route was completely snow free, and outside the standard measure of caution you give on your site about bringing a map and this not recommending this for people without ultra running experience, the route is passable (with a measure of caution for those who don't mind a little scrambling and sand/gravel in their shoes).

Torrey Lindbo
President, Team Red Lizard

Ran it this weekend in a group of ten, most of which are guys from the Red Lizards. I think one other may be on this email list and will probably send you a report as well.

Short story: Trail is 100% passable, several washouts, all manageable with minimal route finding. Took our five faster guys about 10.5 hours, the other five closer to 11.5. Stopped a bunch to regroup/relax/chat, fill bottles, etc., and finally split into two groups of five late in the day. Lots of clouds, no views, and some very cold rain to end the day! Oregon July....

Link with photos of first 2/3s (cameraman and camera both ran out of gas...): http://redlizards.smugmug.com/gallery/8892540_immzB

Long story: We went counter clockwise from the June Lake lot (something like 1.5 miles up the the main loop from there. Only one bad washout crossing from June Lake to Ape Canyon trail, tricky scramble up. This section was about half-run half-hike due to general rockiness of the trail.

Pretty uneventful section through Plains of Abe, Windy Pass, to Lowwit Falls. We stopped near Lowwit at a natural spring for a water fill up. Rocky but runnable.

The Toutle was our second water fill spot, about 2/3rds of the way around. Long descent in over lots of loose pumice, very fun. Climb out was a drag, big climb, with lots of vegetation in our way.

Lots of small washouts and at least one well marked big detour over the next few miles. Many had cairns and/or ribbons, and we built a few cairns where needed. Big volcanic boulder fields to close out the final 1/3, slow going, especially for less technically apt runners.

Ruben Galbraith

NOTE: This page contains running information for experienced ultra runners. Experience ultra runners are people who have already completed 50K, 50Mile or longer ultramarathons. The advice on this page is not directed towards hikers or typical 10k recreational runners. No guarantee is made about the accuracy of maps or information on this page. This page is only intended as a starting point for your own research on places to run. Always check route information yourself and be prepared.