We will be taking a two-day trip to Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier and would appreciate some tips. We will be leaving Portland, OR, on Friday morning June 1 and spending most of the day seeing St. Helens. We will spend the night at the Nisqually Lodge. We will spend Saturday day seeing Mt. Rainier NP. We may also have some time to go the Park Friday evening, since days should be quite long then. Need to be back in Portland Saturday evening. Would appreciate suggestions of things to see and do and places to eat. We'd like to do at least one hike of 2-3 hours or so. Love wildflowers.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

It's going to be tough to find wildfowers, or even a hike, at Mt. Rainier on June 2. I'm usually up there skiiing in early June, but I don't know what the snowpack is like this year because the road has been closed. They hope to get it opened May 5, but the hiking trails are a different story---they don't know the extent of the damage yet, because they are still under snow. Here is the latest on the park's website, from a month ago:

Much of the park’s trail system remains unsurveyed due to snowcover. Immediately following the flood, a flight was conducted to quickly survey the Wonderland Trail. It is very likely that there is additional trail damage along the Wonderland Trail and other park trails that have yet been identified. The condition of most Designated Camps remains uncertain. The subsequent wind storm in December and routine winter trail damage most likely will add to the challenge. The following descriptions identify known trail damage. (Updated March 14, 2007)

Hikers have already been lost this season, trying to cross where a bridge was washed out. So you will need to be very cautious in planning a hike. Your best bet might be to go up to Paradise and take snoeshoes!

The National Park Service has a webcam setup at Paradise in Mt Rainier National Park so you can view for yourself how many flowers are blooming there when you are about to take your trip.

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/air/webca...am/moracam.cfm

The National Forest Service has a webcam on Johnson Ridge at Mt. St. Helens.

http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/

Should we try to snowshoe or cross-country ski? Might it be better to save Rainier for another time?

Drive the east side of Mt St Helens and hike down to Spirit Lake. You can get up close and personal with the mountain. We did years ago when the growth was just starting to come back. When we were there last summer we decided against the hike. Must be getting old! If camping and if the CG is open Iron Creek CG USFS) on Forest Rd 25 between the two is nice as well as convenient.

http://www.destination360.com/us/was...pirit-lake.htm

judilie---I was semi-kidding about the snowshoes, but it is ussually an option at Paradise into early June. I used to go with a group of friends on backcountry skis (heavier than usual cross-country skis) and ski from Paradise over Mazama Ridge to Reflection Lakes. The last time was 5 years ago. There was always plenty of snow for snowshoeing up from Paradise too.

My point is mainly that it's too early for flowers at that elevation. The best time at Paradise is usually mid-July. In early June, you would have to look at lower elevations, perhaps around Longmire. But with the uncertainties about the trails in that area (one campground not far from there was totally washed out), it is difficult to know what will be possible in the way of hikes around Longmire.

Also, exploration of the park will be limited, bbecause the raod is expected to open only as far as Paradise. One cannot drive on around the mountain (Stevens Canyon road) because the roads on that side were badly damaged.

So maybe spend your June trip time at St. Helens, and save Mt. Rainier and the flowers for later in the summer.

We don't have the option of changing the timing of this particular trip. While I like wildflowers, they aren't critical. We do have snowshoes and could bring them with us to Rainier. If we do, are there any snowshoe walks that are interesting to do in early June? Otherwise, we may just concentrate on St. Helens. Is there enough to do there to warrant spending two days?

You could easily spend 2 days around St. Helens, but Rainier is reasonably close too. I really like the big loop that you can take completely around St. Helens:

Take I-5 north to Exit 9, then take Rte 502 to Battle Ground. From there, take Rte 503 to Cougar. Turn north on Forest Road 83 to explore Ape Cave (rent a lantern and flashlight from the little visitor center), and the Lahar and Lava Canyon areas.

Return back to the main road, go east on Forest Rd 90, along Swift Reservoir, then north on Forest Rd 25. After a long-ish drive, turn onto Forest Rd 99, which takes you up through the blast zone to Windy Ridge. Climb the ridge, walk around, then head back down. One little hike to consider is from the Harmony Viewpoint down to Spirit Lake.

Continue north on Forest Rd 25 to Randle, then west on Rte 12 to Morton. Go north on Rte 7 to Elbe, then east on 706 to Ashford, where the Nisqually Lodge is located. You could also go through Packwood instead, which might be more scenic.

The next day, drive up to Paradise on Mt. Rainier, stopping at Longmire, waterfalls, and vistas. I'd bring my snowshoes for tramping around. They may still have guided snowshoe walks too. Return back down to Elbe, back down Route 7 south to Morton, then west on Rte 12. After the town of Ethel, turn south, following signs to Toledo. Take Routes 505 and 504 up to the Coldwater Ridge and Johnston Ridge visitor areas, which have the best views of St. Helens' crater.

Go all the way back down Rte 504 to Castle Rock, the south on I-5 to Portland.

You could reverse this trip too, depending on timing and weather.

That sounds like an excellent plan!

I've looked at the route that ALF recommends on a map, and it looks great. (Thanks very much, ALF.) I hadn't realized that there were so many things to see and do in the St. Helens area (e.g., many different visitors centers and a number of interesting-sounding hikes). With only 2 days for all of this, I'm now wondering whether it might be better to skip Rainier (in part because it sounds like there will still be snow in some areas) and just see the St. Helens stuff. The Nisqually Lodge has a sister lodge at Cowlitz where we can probably stay. I'd welcome other lodging suggestions as well.

If we don't go to Rainier but do try to go to the east side of St. Helens, would it still make sense to still do the big loop, going across on Rte. 12, or might it be better to retrace our steps after visiting the west side and get to the east side via Rte. 503? Either way, if try to go to Spirit Lake and Windy Ridge, we'd be on Forest Road 25, which I gather is rather rough driving. The road north past Ape Cave may not be open when we're there, so this may be moot.

If we do one of these variants, what would be a good place to spend the night in between the east and west sides?

Does anyone know if there will be any guided walks in the area June 1-2?

Forest Road 25 is well-paved, but it is twisty and goes over hill and dale. I think it is a pretty ride, but a slow one. Personally, being someone who favors out-of-the-way scenery and solitude over flashy Visitor Centers, I would consider going to Windy Ridge, then returning down the east side. I'd spend a few hours hiking down to Spirit Lake, as well as an hour climbing the steps to Windy Ridge. I'd spend a couple of hours exploring the seldom-traversed 'uphill' part of Ape Cace, as opposed to the more commonly used 'downhill' part. I'd walk out onto the Lahar Viepoint, crossing the Muddy River to look at layer upon layer of ash, pumice, and mudflow debris from previous eruptions. I'd take a walk down Lava Canyon.

We have commonly driven around St. Helens in late May, and all the roads are open (except Forest Rd 26, which may be a permanent loss after the flooding and heavy rains from this winter).

The loop I described would certainly be best if you also wanted to see Rainier. And, once you get that far North, it makes sense to take the easy way (Interstate) back to Portland. Finally, the views from Coldwater and Johnston Ridges are certainly the best of St. Helens' crater. The view from Windy Ridge doesn't look fully into the crater.

The problem with the east side of St. Helens is that lodging is darn skimpy. There are nothing but campgrounds between the towns of Cougar and Randle. There are some rustic motels and a couple of B & Bs along Route 12 between Randle and Morton. Nothing that looks real special. Again, once you go to Rte 12, you might as well drive the loop instead of doubling back.

Thanks, again, ALF. I'm thinking of doing the east side on our second day, because it appears that is the day that there may be guided tours of Ape Cave. Furthermore, it appears that the latest of those are given is 3:30 pm. However, it remains to be seen whether the guided tours will be offered yet by the time we come.

I'm now thinking of spending the night in Castle Rock. That way we have the option either to go up to 12 and go east to do the loop you suggested or to double back on 5 and go to Ape Cave via 503 if 25 is not yet open.

The woman I just talked to at Coldwater Ridge recommended that we go on 503 from Woodland rather than going through Battle Ground, even on our way out. Do you agree?

A guided tour of the cave is nice, but you can easily do it yourself. A short trail leads to a metal staircase that descends to the cave floor. You then either go forward or back. You can't get lost, as the cave is a single straight tube.

Castle Rock sounds like a good spot to overnight. You can take 503 from there to Ape Cave. I think the Battle Ground route would be better if you are coming out of (or headed for) Portland, but it won't save much time over taking 503 to/from Woodland. Either way is fine. It just seems to me like 503 takes you too far west and then I-5 takes you back eastward as you head south to Portland.

Thanks again, ALF.

If we do Ape Cave on our own, how powerful of a flashlight will we need?

We will be heading back to Portland after seeing the east side of St. Helens.

Can anyone recommend a nice motel in Castle Rock?

Is there anything to do in Castle Rock in the evening?

Is the Cinedome Theater, in Castle Rock, still open? I just tried to call to get some information (in particular, the time of the last show), and all of the numbers I tried had been disconnnected.

Most of the cave passageway is pretty big (on average, something like 10' wide x 15' high), so you would want a big flashlight to see everything. Ideally you should bring a flashlight and a lantern. Ape Cave 'Headquarters' rents propane lanterns and flashlights, but unfortunately they stop renting at around 4:30pm, and close down at 5pm.

Thanks, ALF. Do you know if the Ape Cave "Headquarters" will be renting lanterns on June 1 or 2 (a Friday and Saturday)? (I've gotten the impression that they may still be closed then.) If so, we can try to get there before they close for the day. In fact, we could go to Ape Cave on our first day, so as to hit it before Spirit Lake and Windy Ridge (if Rtes. 25 and 99 are in fact open then).

Do you (or anyone) have recommendations for lodging in or near Castle Rock? The Timberland Inn and Suites and Mt. St. Helens Motel are both quite reasonably priced. The Silver Lake Motel and Lakeside Resort costs a bit more, but looks quite nice. We will only be staying for one night and don't need anything fancy.

And does anyone know if the Cinedome Theater, in Castle Rock, is still operating?

I have rented lanterns on Memorial Day weekend, which seems to be about the time that things on the east side open up; but the Gifford Pinchot Web site sez that the Ape Cave Headquarters opens in mid-June:
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation....shtml#ApeCave

Here is a hiking guide:
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation...the-cave.shtml

I can't help you with Castle Rock accommodations - we have passed through lots of times, and have seen serviceable but undistinguished motels. I have stayed at the Blue Heron B&B, which was very pleasant. Haven't been to the CineDome in many years, but passed by last spring - it was open and the parking lot was full.