4 miles
Distance
1,709 ft
Climb
-1,024 ft
Descent
4,696 ft
High Point
Trail Supporters, Builders & Maintainers of Loowit #216: Castle Ridge - Sheep Canyon Trail

Details

  • Riding area
    Mt. Saint Helens
    Cougar, Washington
  • Difficulty rating
    Blue rate
  • Trail type
    Singletrack
  • Bike type
    AM, XC
  • Trail Usage
    Biking Primary
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical rating
    Moderate
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Global Ranking
    #85956

Few trails capture more completely the range of effects of the 1980 eruption than this section of the Loowit Trail. Along this route you will discover views of mudflow-scoured river valleys, blast- singed trees, miles of blown-down forest, and views of newly created lakes. Observe this raw landscape and see how the familiar features of the Cascade Range were formed.

Walk out onto a huge boulder and enjoy an impressive view of the headwall of the South Fork of the Toutle River. Scan the horizon for outstanding views of Mount St. Helens, Mount Margaret, Mount Rainier and Johnston Ridge. Also enjoy a view of Coldwater Lake which was formed as a result of the 1980 eruption.

The trail descends to the South Fork of the Toutle River. Here you can see that this once well- forested valley was transformed into the skeletal remains of ash- covered logs and shattered stumps by the fury of a fiery blast of fragmented rock and the abrasive action of a raging mudflow. From the heart of the blast area, the trail descends into the Pumice Bowl and crosses via ford the South Fork Toutle River and climbs through a subalpine environment to panoramic views as it traverses the ridge.

Local Trail Association
More Stats for Loowit #216: Castle Ridge - Sheep Canyon mountain bike trail
  • Altitude change
    685 ft
  • Altitude min
    3,242 ft
  • Altitude start
    3,952 ft
  • Altitude end
    4,637 ft
  • Grade
    3.416%
  • Grade max
    -56.662%
  • Grade min
    82.969%
  • Distance climb
    2 miles
  • Distance down
    2 miles
  • view trail stats
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Layers winter
Trail Style
  • ?
Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Directions to loowit-216-castle-ridge-sheep-canyon trailhead (46.214861, -122.245870)
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Loowit #216:... Trail Reports

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1 Review & Comments

  • + 1
flag vummartin (Oct 4, 2016 at 13:40)
 The trail North of the South Fork of the Toutle River is in the restricted zone and bikes are not sanctioned
[Reply]

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