MOUNT ST. HELENS

We took a day trip up to see Mount St. Helens and all the trouble she caused.  It started out a cloudy day but we did manage to get a few pictures of the old girl. 

Visitor Center where we started our several hour drive

Beautiful rhododendrens all over the place.  This was in front of the lower visitor center.

We saw a very interesting movie here and then started driving to the viewpoints and the upper visitor center.  We were in the snow some of the time.

The clouds cleared enough that we could get some pictures of the mountain.  This showes the side of the crater that collapsed and the sparce vegitation in the forground shows the destruction.  She eruped on May 16, 1980.  This many years later the vegitation is still sparce except where it has been replanted.  It was amazing to look out over this valley and see the destruction.  It was a lush forest with lakes and rivers before she blew.

Another view.  Before the eruption, the mountain went on up to a well rounded dome, as you can see if you look close at the picture in the upper right hand part of the sign.  Destruction everywhere.

This is a huge log by the parking lot.  You can see how the bark was blown off the side of the tree when the blast hit it and knocked it down.

Same huge log where you can see how the it was charred by the blast.  Can't see it but the mountains in the background below the snow line have dead logs all over their sides.  All the logs are pointed in the same direction...away for Mount St. Helens.

Fallen logs.

Whole mountain side devastated.

Everywhere we looked logs were down.  We were standing at a point that would have received the full force of the blast.

Not a good picture but this is a huge stump showing how the tree us just broken off like a matchstick.  Many such large trees were ripped from the ground, roots and all.  This picture was taken at the Johnston Ridge Visitor Center.  A geologist was camped on this ridge before the blast to monitor the activity of the mountain.  When it erupted, he was hit just seconds afterwards and he didn't stand a chance of escape.  The ridge is named after him.

We had a very intersting day driving through this area.  We saw two very good movies and learned a lot about the events of the eruption.  Anyone who hasn't seen it, should take the time to see it if they ever have the chance.