Mt St Helens - Hummocks to Johnston Ridge Observatory - YES IT'S OPEN, Scott!!!

A landslide has closed the road to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, but the trails are still open, so let's take advantage of the situation and get a moderately easy/difficult hike to the Observatory and have it mostly to ourselves. The beginning and end of this hike we'll stroll through the hummocks, piles of pyroclastic debris that cover what was once an old growth forest. Then we'll hike up the ridge through the recovering blast zone to get spectacular views into the crater.

• Start/End point: Hummocks Trail
• Hike type: In and out with a 2-mile loop in the Hummocks
• Distance: About 10 miles
• Elevation gain: About 1500 feet
• High point: 4300 feet
• Permits: To be safe, NW Wilderness Pass
• Dogs: No
• Difficulty: Moderate due to distance, elevation gain, sun exposure
• Driving Distance: 220 miles round trip from Gateway Transit Center
• Gateway Garage Location: Ground floor on the West side.