13.5 miles of hiking • 3000' elevation gain •
WATER!!! everywhere....just no way to access it. Learned that lesson on Saturday, after 8 hours, a great sunburn that now reads tan, 3 ltrs of water that just got me through, and a total of nearly 14 mi and 3k ft elevation. Despite the water issue, could not have asked for a better day. Amazing views of St. Helens and Adams, gorgeous young forest on the way up to Ridge Camp, and overall got exactly what I came for. Grateful to Mother Nature for the cool water of Coldwater Lake that rehydrated me after and having the backcountry to myself for the first 6 hours of my hike.
