The Trail Less Travelled
Without question, my favorite way to explore is to create my own path through the wild. There’s something about forging a route that hasn’t been taken hundreds of times by other people that sparks the wild calling in my heart. Whether the trek is many miles or just a quick jaunt, walking through a trailless environment is the most natural way to explore in my opinion.
Back in May of 2020, a couple of friends and I were out for sunset at Elk Rock Lookout on state route 504. It was at this very place where we’ve spent countless mornings and nights watching the golden light cast upon Mt. St. Helens (Loowit) and the Toutle River valley below. Except this time, we had the idea of leaving the designated parking lot and instead trek up the cliff face behind us. It wasn’t an easy climb, as it was almost a vertical accent the whole time. Although, something felt good about exploring such a seemingly untouched environment. We eventually made it to the top with the sun just setting over the horizon. The climb took much longer than we had expected, but we were amazed by what we found at the top. Some of the most beautiful views of this region had suddenly opened up because we were willing to do something unorthodox. With the light running slim, we had to pack up our emotions of joy and call it a night. We were so excited about what we had found at the top though that we decided to camp there the next night.
May 8, 2020. One of the most gorgeous nights one could ask for for a spontaneous camping trip. We made it to the top around 7:30 p.m., just in time to get set up for golden hour. The light in the valley below us was insane, casting a warm glow on everything that surrounded us. We spent the majority of the evening reliving what we saw the night before. It was that feeling of being alive that always seems to make itself known on trips like this. We sat on the rocks and watched the sun fall beneath the horizon, then quickly called it a night as sunrise was just a few hours away at this time of year.
The night was tough, as the winds were howling through the trees and the cold mountain air followed with it. I didn’t sleep well at all, and I don’t think my friends did either. Although, I think we held an excitement all night for what sunrise was going to look like from the top of this mountain.
Five a.m., May 9. The stars in the sky faded away as the first light of the day made its way over the Dark Divide looking east. It was time to once again relive this golden part of the day. The routine for sunrise was pretty much the same as sunset; walk around, watch in awe, and take tons of pictures. To this day, I don’t think I’ve taken a more memorable photo of the sunrise over Loowit than I did on this trip. The spontaneity of this trip is what I think I’ll remember most about this trip though. Just two nights before this magical sunrise we were wondering from the parking lot below what it would be like to watch everything from the top. Now here we sat, amongst the whispering pines and chirping birds with no sounds of highway traffic to pollute our experience. None of this would’ve happened if we didn’t carve our own path through the wild, which is why I think exploring this way is such an integral piece of unforgettable experiences.
