8/29/2014

Today, we will do something that has been on my wish list for 35 years, visit Mt St Helens.  We stopped at the Visitors Center off I-5 on our way from Seattle to Nehalem Bay, but we never saw the mountain.  It is 47 miles from the Visitors Center to the observation place on the west side.  We chose to forgo that drive with the motor home and do it this way, approach it from the east side with the car.  This allowed us a much more leisurely drive and it allows us to view Spirit Lake, something not possible from the west.  It is a longer drive, but given the choice, we are glad we made this decision.  We cross the Columbia at Rufus, OR and take US 14 along the river to Carson, WA...what a pretty ride!!  At Carson, after a climb up out of the Columbia Gorge, we stopped for lunch and then headed north on Wind River Rd and then several National Park roads that were in dire need of some upkeep, but the scenery is beautiful.  Along the way, Mt Adams & Mt Rainier are visible, as well as Mt St Helens.  We get on NP 99, which ends at Windy Ridge (very aptly named), just 3 miles from the base of Mt St Helens.  What a great decision it was to come this way. The results of the blast we all remember are still very visible.  The 1000s of trees blown down are sill laying where they landed. Spirit Lake still is covered by the huge amount of trees that got washed into the lake by the initial massive landslide on the western 1/3 of the lake.  The lake itself is making a nice recovery, although it is 250 higher in elevation.  The lake is both shallower and larger in area.  March 17, 1980 is still a huge part of the ecological development in a huge area surrounding the mountain.  One of the more amazing stories is how herds of elk arrived within weeks of the explosion.  Their hooves broke through the volcanic ash and their waste carried seeds from trees eaten elsewhere.  The seeds, naturally fertilized, grew and replenished the before then dead valleys with new life...these valleys are now covered with new trees.

It was a VERY interesting day.  Seeing how nature has recovered from this seriously devastating event is something everyone should see, if for no other reason than you may never have the chance again, ever.  On the way home, we passed through Hood River.  100s of folks were taking a different advantage of the westerly breezes that blow up the Columbia Gorge, other than wind powered electric production.  They were out on the river wind surfing, sail boarding, and just plain enjoying the day.  We stopped and watched for a while...what a beautiful way to end a day.  Then we drove the final 50 miles back to our camper.

What a fun day!

Steve & Barb Larson

The sun is rising, leaving some cool shadows

Our location on the John Day River

The sun peaking over the mountain across the river

Wind Power to the max

Mt Hood from the Washington side of the Columbia

Pretty drive

We are within 50 miles

Mt St Helens is significantly shorter

Some of the amazing shots from 5/17/80

We are at Windy Ridge, a mere 3 miles away

Spirit Lake is making a nice comeback

The east 1/3 of the lake is still covered with log debris

The dead trees are everywhere

Wind surfers by the 100s