On the southeastern flank of Mt. St. Helens, Ape Canyon is a lovely alpine hike that opens up in early June. Aside from the perk of getting you high up on a mountain in the late Spring, the hike itself is beautiful and geologically compelling! The Ape Canyon trail goes up a ridge right to the side of a gigantic dried volcanic mudflow (lahar) that poured off the mountain during the 1980s eruption. Juxtaposed against the stately old growth on the ridge, this makes for a richly contrasting ramble, with killer views up top, across the peaks of the Gifford Pinchot forest, and up to the face of St. Helens!