Early morning found me at the Coldwater Peak Trailhead located at the Johnston Ridge Observatory only 5 1/2 miles north of the Mt. St. Helens Crater.
From the Trailhead I could see my destination, Coldwater Peak. Also visible was the early morning sun shining through a natural arch that the Trail passes through on the way to the Peak.
In 1980 the ever-increasing bulge on the north side of Mt. St. Helens burst. The effects of the blast are still very evident on the Coldwater Peak Trail.
It was a sunny, clear day providing views of the growing lava dome inside the old crater, the pumice plain and landslide deposits. The forest that once covered the area is long gone with ghostly white and grey remnants of the old trees evident in every direction.
The Trail provides many views of Mt. St. Helens, Spirit Lake (where Harry Truman refused to leave his Lodge and died in the blast), St. Helens Lake (home of many logs from trees destroyed by the pyroclastic flows from the 1980 eruption) and Mt. Rainier.
In many ways the scenery is reminisant of a Moon landscape. A few trees are growing, but the land is many centuries away from returning to its previous green splendor. It is a truly unique and amazing environment to meander through.
Another day to remember!
Mt. St. Helens
Pussypaws
Coldwater Peak
Trail passing through a natural arch
Mt. Hood behind Spirit Lake
Rock Penstemon on the side of Coldwater Peak with the Boundary Trail far below
Herd of Roosevelt Elk feeding in the early morn
St. Helens Lake with floating logs caused by the 30-year old eruption
Mt. St. Helens growing dome is easily visible over a field of wildflowers
Spirit Lake
Mt. Raineer
Pasqueflower
Wind blowing snow on the rim of Mt. St. Helens
Johnston Ridge Observatory
Orange Agoseris (a favorite)
Colorful wildflowers growing on a lunar landscape
Mt. Adams over Spirit Lake
Lupine love the volcanic soil
St. Helens Lake
Paintbrush is another plant that thrives in volcanic soil
Nice photos of Mt St Helens and surrounding environs. Surprisingly large number of logs in Spirit Lake.
Thanks Spencer. Some of the trees were huge when the volcano erupted and will take many more decades to rot away, both on the land and in the lakes. It’s an amazing area to visit.
Thanks & God Bless
Ed Lyon
Community Director, FCA Ventura County
P.O. Box 6033, Ventura, CA 93006
805-746-4725
elyon@fca.org
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Great Pictures!!
Thanks. It always helps to have a great subject. The area around Mt. St. Helens is pretty special.
Wow, John, this is a gallery of incredible photos! The scenery, the quality of the photographs, it is all extraordinary. I espec. like the angle on Mt. Rainier, one I have not seen before, of this majestic mountain (that is often shrouded in clouds).
Thanks for the kind words. There are truly few places on Earth as unique and with such stark beauty.