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This is the side of the mountain we usually see. It's the back side (north side) of the mountain the eruption devastated. That was where we were heading. |
The month of July Cathy gets off work and gets a little time to play. We decided this would be a good time to go experience some Northwest attractions we hadn't yet. One of those attractions was the Johnson Observatory of Mount Saint Helens. Grandma G, Aunt Cathy, Carson, McKenna and I took a day trip to this historical place. Most of our Mount Saint Helens experiences: camping, hiking, boating, etc. have taken place on the other side (South) of the mountain. It was very interesting to see the volcano from the opposite side.
The observatory was educational and really opened your eyes to the power of nature and the devastation behind the May 18, 1980 eruption. They had video, guides and tours and a museum to walk through. The situation after the eruption was bad on the South side of the mountain, but to see the devastation on the North side (even 30+ years later) was eye opening.
We were able to hike a trail along the observatory ridge. It was a lot of fun and had some spectacular views. It was amazing to see what little life had returned to this side of the mountain since the blast, but we did find some.
I summit-ted the crater a few years ago, but even more now than ever I want to hike the circumference trail of the mountain.
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| Could this be the once beautiful retreat of Spirit Lake finally returning? |
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| Spirit Lake Before 1980 |
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| Spirit Lake August 2012 |
It was a great day!
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