Sunday 7/20. Overcast - perfect weather to hike to the blast zone (no shade). From Windy Ridge's giant parking lot (chilly and windy), 8 of us walked on Windy Ridge Trail (#207) or rather road (gravel, gated), made much nicer by abundant flower blooms. At the first junction, we went straight, #216E, which turns east towards Loowit Falls. 
About 1 mile of low dwarf lupine covering the otherwise bleak dark plain, with their silver blue color sparkled with morning dews. 
The blue Spirit Lake floated in and out of clouds to the north. At the next junction, we took #216 (Loowit Trail), which says 1.1/4 miles to Loowit Falls (it's more like 1.5 miles). I mistook a small muddy waterfall for our destination. It's mostly flat until here, some up and downs to cross creek or pumice ditch. At the last junction, we turned left on to #216F (3/4 miles) UP to Loowit Falls. During our entire our lunch, we could listening to the falls, no sight of it. Only as we were ready to leave, the cloud faded a bit, so we saw the waterfall. It's BEAUTIFUL.
Backtrace this 1.5 miles, 216E (the 1.1/4 mark), we now turned right onto #216 (Loowit Trail) up and over a saddle. Grassy on the north side. The down slope (south) was mostly very loose rocks. If you are afraid of heights, this is not for you. It drops down to Plain of Abraham, stark, but with unquestionable beauty, up to a T-junction. The St Helen cradle next to you, even though we could only see its base, Mt Adams' base, and supposedly Mt Hood in front. We turned left (north) along #216D, lots of bikers. 
Soon we were matching upwards, and there, along the ridge, is one spectacular flower show. It's LOVELY, looking at both sides into as far as the clouds allowed. I didn't like the stairs on the northern slope, so walked in sliding rocks instead.Returned on the same gravel road to car, happy and content. Total about 11.5 miles, 2200' accumulated elevation gain. See map from at Forest Service.
