Mount St. Helen



Got up Wednesday morning and headed up the road to the mountain - to get to the end of the road is about 46 miles.  The first stop was at a Washington State Center where they had a movie and lots of displays of that fateful day in 1980.  This was our first glimpse of the mountain.  At the visitor center, there was a web cam so we could see the mountain.  When we entered the center, the mountain was covered with clouds but by the time we left, it was clear and the ranger said it was a perfect day to visit Mt. St. Helens.

 This was the second visitor center we stopped at and we were able to see the mountain much clearer.  We were told again that the day was a perfect day on Mt. St. Helen.

We finally reached Johnson Ridge which is five miles from the mountain.  There's a very nice visitor center at this point with lots of information to look at and read.  There were also a couple of movies and when the movie has finished, the screen goes up and the drapes behind the screen raise and you see the mountain - awesome!!

You can see the crater on the side of the mountain where it blew out.  The actual movie footage of the eruption was amazing.  It took the ash two weeks to go around the entire world.  There was such devestation of the area and yet, it was amazing just how quickly after the eruption, small flowers were peeking through the ash and small animals that could burrow into the ground starting showing up again.

Clouds are beginning to roll in........

 I listened to this young ranger give a Junior Ranger (I did this for you, Sam.) talk out on the patio.  He said in 2004, a ranger was giving a talk just as he was doing when the mountain erupted again but of course, it was a MUCH smaller eruption.  They feel she will erupt again but who knows when.

 This is a lake that was created by the volcanic eruption.

 Goodbye to Mt. St. Helen - totally covered by the clouds.

We went 20 miles down the road to Kelso, Oregon for the night and tomorrow we head to the Columbia River Gorge.  It is such a beautiful river - we cross part of it in the middle of Washington every year on our way to Lynden.  The Columbia River has a cruise ship that cruises up and down the river - someday I just might have to book a cruise on it.  (Alaska first.)

 

Well, I'm off to put a second coat of paint on the downstairs bathroom - I have special company coming next week and then Dad and I plan to make a trip to one of our favorite stores -- Menards!!

Have a good day!

 

Love, Gramma and MOM