A herd of elk, lots of bear sign, ripe huckleberries, and a prehistoric landscape. From the Trailhead, only 5 1/2 miles north of the Mt. St. Helens Crater, I could see my destination, 5,722-foot Coldwater Peak.
Roosevelt Elk
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.
Mt. St. Helens
The Trail provides many views of Mt. St. Helens, Spirit Lake (where Harry Truman refused to leave his Lodge and died in the blast), Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, St. Helens Lake (home of many logs from trees destroyed by the pyroclastic flows from the 1980 eruption) and Mt. Rainier.
Golden-manteled surveying its kingdom
Steam coming from a growing dome inside the crater
White Rhododendron, Orange Agoseris, and Lupine & Paintbrush
Mt. Adams behind Spirit Lake
Coldwater Peak ahead
Trail travels through a hole in the rocks
Mt. Margaret behind St. Helens Lake
Final Climb to summit
Mt. Hood from summit of Coldwater Peak
In many ways the scenery is reminiscent 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.
Mt. St. Helens
Returning on Coldwater Peak Trail
Another day to remember!
Wow how much it has changed , you’ve captured the real beauty that is coming back when so much was taken thank you John for sharing your fantastic hikes for all the absolute scenes of our areas surrounding us not everyone is fortunate to go too. Thank you for sharing these intrust of passion you have. Take care my friend of many years.