Today we are forgetting about all our hassles and taking a ride to Mount St Helens. I5 S is very commercial and we’re glad when we turn onto Rte 505 E rolling through fields with blooming apple trees and dogwood. Toledo is the gateway to Mt St. Helen. There are lots of Christmas tree farms along the road. We are seeing a lot of "Slide Area" signs along the road. We can see where they've done winter clean up and rock removal. Turning onto Rte 504 we climb through thick forest. We’re back up in the tree tops again riding along a ridge.
The Hoffstadt Visitor Center appeared on our right and we pulled in. Entering the center through huge wood doors we’re met with a gorgeous panoramic view of the Cowlitz Valley which is still covered in lava from the blast. We spent time on the viewing deck and followed the trail which led to a memorial grove dedicated to the victims of the eruption.
Continuing up the road we came to the Mt St. Helen bridge which leads across the Hoffstadt Bluffs Creek and into the "blast zone". We stood at the end of the bridge looking across at the edge of the "blast zone" with the volcano in the distance. We could see standing dead forest - trees that were unable to burn due to the lack of oxygen during the blast. We tried to imagine what it was like that day - A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook Mount St. Helens at 8:32am on May 18, 1980 triggering a massive explosion. The mountain blew 60,000 feet of heated ash into the cloudless blue sky. The steam and pressure under the volcano resulted in 1300 feet of the mountain’s top to launch outward. The cataclysmic blast - carrying winds reaching 670 miles per hour and temperatures of 800 degrees F - flattened 230 square miles of forest. Elk, deer, and other wildlife were obliterated.
We stopped again at Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center and tried to see the crater through the clouds. We watched a video about the days leading up to the blast and what happened. A sign on the center door told us the road was closed 9 miles up the road due to snow and winter conditions. We continued up the road climbing to 3000 feet along the Coldwater Ridge until we found snow. Soon we were completely socked in. With snow covered roads and no visibility we turned around after playing in the snow. Maybe we'll stop by this way when we come out of Alaska.
Meandering back down Rte 504 our next stop was the Mt. St. Helen Memorial Visitor Center. We watched another film on volcanic activity and saw exhibits of photos, ash and debris. We learned more about that day and about Harry Truman. Harry owned the lodge at Spirit Lake. Harry refused to be evacuated. His late wife was buried at the lake and he didn't believe the volcano would blow. When the blast came the strength was unimaginable. The entire lake and it’s contents were sent 600 feet into the air before it fell back to earth. The lake is now twice the original surface area and half its original depth.
Leaving the center we walked the nature trail through a marsh around the visitor center with views of the volcano. The clouds over Mt. St. Helen are starting to lift, but we still can't see the top. This is a very powerful place and reminds us what lies beneath our feet.
It was a lot of driving today, but it was spectacular - we will come back again.
Pictures: Lava in Cowlitz Valley today, Mount St. Helen Bridge, Volcano view, Snow play, Road down from Coldwater Ridge, Visitor Center trail
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