Spirit of the Trail #2: Harry’s Ridge Trail & Kilchoman Machir Bay
I really enjoyed sharing the first Spirit of the Trail whisky and trail pairing, and am thrilled to present the second in the series! As a little refresher, in this series, I will pair a trail experience (hike/run/race) with a whisky. It might be based on the trail itself or a specific situation that occurred on that adventure. The goal of this series is to capture the essence of both a trail and whisky and share it with you. I hope you learn a little about the trail and/or the whisky. I want to encourage exploration out on the trails and in your glass!
The Trail:
The Harry’s Ridge Trail (Castle Rock, WA) is an out-and-back trail that begins at the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, and is seven-ish miles with minimal elevation gain. Due to the effects of the eruption 38 years ago, the vegetation is sparse yet hardy. However, the lack of trees leaves you with incredible 360 degree views of the blastzone and the mountains (volcanoes) in the distance.
I hiked this trail for the first time almost a month ago, and it was a wonderful and memorable experience. It was a beautifully sunny day, the wildflowers were at their peak, and I was thrilled to be out on a little adventure to explore more of the spectacular Pacific Northwest.
While most people know about the devastating 1980 eruption, many friends, like myself, had never been to the site itself or hadn’t been there since they were young. It’s almost an unknown quantity in terms of being a hiking destination. Because you see Mount St. Helens from the Observatory, you don’t have to hike to get an amazing vista. However, you should. There are some rewarding trails nearby, with hardly anyone else out there because not many people leave the Observatory. Proof is in this picture featuring Spirit Lake and three volcanoes. (Um, also sorrynotsorry for the whisky terminology puns. 🙂 )
Fun Trail Fact:
On a clear day, Harry’s Ridge features panoramic views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood, Spirit Lake, as well as Mount St. Helens herself, so it’s absolutely worth the hike.
The Whisky:
For such a beautiful trail, I chose to pair it with Kilchoman Machir Bay (Isle of Islay, Scotland.) It’s a bright whisky with a citrusy lightness that reminds me of the exposed and sunny Harry’s Ridge Trail. The smokiness is very present yet delicate, like the wildflowers that manage to thrive in the barren and ashen landscape of Mount St. Helens. This whisky is very approachable, especially for a whisky from Islay. Some Islay distilleries revel in their reputation for being a rough and peaty brick to the face, which certainly has it’s time and place. However, Kilchoman’s Machir Bay has a more subtle approach involving lemon, vanilla, and a more elegant (yet lively) smoke.
Kilchoman isn’t quite as well known as some of it’s neighbors on Islay, very much like how the hiking trails around Mt. St. Helens are a little lesser known. Certainly not for a lack of quality in either case! (They’re both somewhat underappreciated in my opinion.) If you’re looking for an introduction to a new experience with hiking or with a peaty whisky, Harry’s Ridge and Kilchoman are excellent, non-intimidating choices.
Fun Whisky Fact:
Kilchoman Distillery was founded in 2005, and the first distillery to be built on Islay in 124 years. Most Islay distilleries are on the coast, but Kilchoman is the island’s only farm distillery. Which means they grow some of their own barley on site, and very importantly, they have adorable lambs in the spring! We were lucky enough to visit the distillery in 2016, and enjoyed a great tour experience (as well as a tasty cafe.) I would highly recommend a visit!
Here’s to more adventures out on the trail and in your glass. Sláinte!
