Hiking Butte Camp, Mt. St. Helens

A nice, overnight backpacking trip to Butte Camp, Mt. St. Helens on Sept. 9th, 2012.  The trailhead is at Red Rock Pass on Forest Road 81 in Mt. St. Helens National Monument at elevation of 3,300 feet. and the camp is at around 4,000 feet.  To reach the trailhead from Cougar, head east on forest road 90, take a left onto forest road 83, and then left on forest road 81.

The trip to Butte Camp is around 6 miles round trip to the camp.  Continuing further up above treeline to the Loowit trail at 4,800 feet, a nice side trip from camp, adds another 2 miles round trip and an additional 800 vertical feet of gain for a total of around 8 miles round trip.

Mt. St. Helens can also be summited via the Butte Camp approach, either by linking up with monitor ridge which is clearly visible just to the east, or heading directly up, working around the many loose gullies.

An incredible open lava flow just a few yards from the trailhead.

A view of the summit from near the trailhead:

A view of the butte in the distance:

The nice meadow with a tiny winding creek at Butte Camp:

 The creek at Butte Camp:

 Hiking above the camp near treeline:

The view from near treeline:

Treeline:

Near Loowit Trail:

Looking back down at the Butte:

Looking back down from far above Loowit trail: