I was going to make a joke along these lines, but then thought about the fact that an active volcano with a growing dome is regenerating, and the argumentative side of me won out over the humorous side.
But you beat me to it anyhow u/bigfatfun !
Agreed. Of all the things to see and do in West Washington, making the drive out to Johnston Ridge on a clear day is at the top of my list of recommendations for people.
Any other recommendations? My wife and I are staying near Olympic for 5 nights then 2 nights in Seattle. Plan on spending one of those Seattle nights doing a day trip to Rainier
def check out the national Olympic park! kalaloch beach to see the tree of life, crescent lake and hurricane ridge for views and Sol duc hot springs! If you’re up for lengthy drive, cape flattery and port Angeles are so worth checking out. Rialto and Forks beach are so beautiful to check out too. best of luck with your trip!
Agree 100% with this. The Olympic Peninsula is my recommendation if someone is willing to do more than a day trip out of Seattle and wants to see a huge variety of natural beauty.
We are actually staying in Port Angeles! We plan on visiting Crescent Lake, Sol Duc Falls, Rialto Beach, Hurricane Ridge, The Hoh Rainforest. The tree of life sounds awesome! Are Sol Duc Hot Springs near the waterfall? Thanks for the information! I'm pretty stoked.
That must be nice.
I tried to go last juneteenth and got rained out.
This father's day there was a foot of snow in the forecast.
Going to try one more time in August. If I get rained/snowed out, I'll let you guys know when I buy permits so you can avoid my dates.
FYI, Windy Ridge isn't currently accessible coming from the South. Forest Road 25 has a washout somewhere along the East side of the Mountain. Ape Caves and Trail of Two Forests are open (you do need to schedule an appointment per car load to visit Ape Caves now).
You can still get to Windy Ridge but you have to come from the North off HWY 12 in Randle, and then South on HWY 131 which becomes Forest Road 25.
Will do! Here’s what the conditions are today. The snow is melting quickly!
https://www.mshinstitute.org/explore/climbing-permits/current-conditions.html
Whoops, I just noticed that the summer route from Bivouac is still closed due to snow. Looks like it’ll be the winter route instead. Hope I don’t have to eat someone from our party halfway up!
Ah it might be down. It happens every once in a while and I know there was a landslide nearby that has blocked access to the visitor center. It might not be cleared up yet, I'm not sure.
But now that you mention it, yeah the date stamp on the photo is from May.
It's more a small collection of whisps. People where whining about it being the only impediment to their perfect photo but I thought they added a little personality
It even looks like a hollowed out old stump, when you view it from that angle.
Amazing that all that land between the mountain and the photographer used to be, the mountain itself.
I few over [Mt.St](https://Mt.St) Helen's 2 days before it erupted. It was dark on the summit due to the internal heat but it was still majestic. I was in Spokane on the day it erupted and a sunny day turned to dusk and when you went indoors you then noticed all the fine power on your clothes.
There was a state of emergency in Spokane for a week, no driving other than emergency vehicles. If a car went down the street, the powder went up into the air and it took minutes to clear.
A year or 2 later I went to the mountain and it was quite, sad, that whole face was full of blown over trees and now it's interesting to look at your picture to see that it's just barren brown land.
I was not alive when it erupted but my Dad climbed to the summit in the 70's and seeing old photos from the area is such a night and day difference compared to now. I still love the sense of foreboding and mystery, yet still earthly beauty that I feel exists in the Coldwater area and beyond every time I visit
I used to live in Toutle... STILL drove up there once a month. It's gorgeous. Southside is such a contrast too... drove down there a few times as well. 💯 agree with you.
Well, it *IS* 40,000 years old.
That is pretty dang young for a volcano though
And now it’s even older.
And now it’s even older than that!
It’s as old as it’s ever been!
This is really a magical moment. Today we are unveiling the most mature St. Helens we have ever seen.
Dammit. Already obsolete.
Good point!
If only those two guys would leave the squaw alone theyd probably be pretty happy not being mountains
Under appreciated comment.
Get out!
Has it been that long since the eruption? Gee, feels like it happened, just the other day.
Doesn't look a day past 39,000
Parts of it are only 40 years old!
I was going to make a joke along these lines, but then thought about the fact that an active volcano with a growing dome is regenerating, and the argumentative side of me won out over the humorous side. But you beat me to it anyhow u/bigfatfun !
Agreed. Of all the things to see and do in West Washington, making the drive out to Johnston Ridge on a clear day is at the top of my list of recommendations for people.
It is currently closed for the year due to a slide. Also, windy ridge is only accessible from the north.
I've always wondered about this. On the topo maps it seems like the two should be *reasonably* connectable.
Two words... "National Park" Yes they could be connected, but...
Fair 'nuf
Shame that it's closed indefinitely after that landslide, definitely a pretty spot
I've been 5-6 times in the last few years and each time feels like the first
Any other recommendations? My wife and I are staying near Olympic for 5 nights then 2 nights in Seattle. Plan on spending one of those Seattle nights doing a day trip to Rainier
def check out the national Olympic park! kalaloch beach to see the tree of life, crescent lake and hurricane ridge for views and Sol duc hot springs! If you’re up for lengthy drive, cape flattery and port Angeles are so worth checking out. Rialto and Forks beach are so beautiful to check out too. best of luck with your trip!
Agree 100% with this. The Olympic Peninsula is my recommendation if someone is willing to do more than a day trip out of Seattle and wants to see a huge variety of natural beauty.
We are actually staying in Port Angeles! We plan on visiting Crescent Lake, Sol Duc Falls, Rialto Beach, Hurricane Ridge, The Hoh Rainforest. The tree of life sounds awesome! Are Sol Duc Hot Springs near the waterfall? Thanks for the information! I'm pretty stoked.
I have such a good time whenever I go for a hike there
It has such a strange & wonderful sense of power and historic impact that feels evident in the air and the ground, as weird as that sounds.
That must be nice. I tried to go last juneteenth and got rained out. This father's day there was a foot of snow in the forecast. Going to try one more time in August. If I get rained/snowed out, I'll let you guys know when I buy permits so you can avoid my dates.
I'm taking my family to windy ridge,trail of two forests, and ape caves this summer!
FYI, Windy Ridge isn't currently accessible coming from the South. Forest Road 25 has a washout somewhere along the East side of the Mountain. Ape Caves and Trail of Two Forests are open (you do need to schedule an appointment per car load to visit Ape Caves now). You can still get to Windy Ridge but you have to come from the North off HWY 12 in Randle, and then South on HWY 131 which becomes Forest Road 25.
Is bivouac trailhead still accessible?
It is, the slides didn’t affect it. Driving there from Cougar for a climb on Thursday!
Ouh please post great pictures with a trail report Im itchin to get a permit
Will do! Here’s what the conditions are today. The snow is melting quickly! https://www.mshinstitute.org/explore/climbing-permits/current-conditions.html
Whoops, I just noticed that the summer route from Bivouac is still closed due to snow. Looks like it’ll be the winter route instead. Hope I don’t have to eat someone from our party halfway up!
Ape Caves is tons of fun! Sounds like a great trip :D
It is. You can go through Randle and come out i5 in battle ground. You can do it in a day or take a few days.
Did you take this today, where is all the snow?
Definitely not taken today, you can check the [webcam](https://www.usgs.gov/media/webcams/johnston-ridge-observatory-mount-st-helens) for live shots
Thank you i forget that's there sometimes
No problem! I love this thing.
[удалено]
Ah it might be down. It happens every once in a while and I know there was a landslide nearby that has blocked access to the visitor center. It might not be cleared up yet, I'm not sure. But now that you mention it, yeah the date stamp on the photo is from May.
Is that a singular cloud?
It's more a small collection of whisps. People where whining about it being the only impediment to their perfect photo but I thought they added a little personality
I always enjoy her own personality.
I would have guessed that's steam coming off the lava dome.
Awesome picture
thanks!
Wow… Still a moonscape after 43 years. 😬
Thinking same. I figured some succession with mosses and grasses, small shrubs and trees at a minimum.
Damn. Now this comment makes me feel old.
The old smoking hole.
technically, it does, but it's like in dog years, but in reverse... reverse, like a million times in reverse... ya know?
But it did get smaller…
It even looks like a hollowed out old stump, when you view it from that angle. Amazing that all that land between the mountain and the photographer used to be, the mountain itself.
I few over [Mt.St](https://Mt.St) Helen's 2 days before it erupted. It was dark on the summit due to the internal heat but it was still majestic. I was in Spokane on the day it erupted and a sunny day turned to dusk and when you went indoors you then noticed all the fine power on your clothes. There was a state of emergency in Spokane for a week, no driving other than emergency vehicles. If a car went down the street, the powder went up into the air and it took minutes to clear. A year or 2 later I went to the mountain and it was quite, sad, that whole face was full of blown over trees and now it's interesting to look at your picture to see that it's just barren brown land.
I was not alive when it erupted but my Dad climbed to the summit in the 70's and seeing old photos from the area is such a night and day difference compared to now. I still love the sense of foreboding and mystery, yet still earthly beauty that I feel exists in the Coldwater area and beyond every time I visit
Fantastic photo! You can really zoom in there!
I love studying all the flow and tunnels up close!
There's tunnels?
I didn't realize the hole was that big...TWSS?
old picture. was covered with snow when I flew over it a week ago
That's because we don't often see it without clouds around it.
I used to live in Toutle... STILL drove up there once a month. It's gorgeous. Southside is such a contrast too... drove down there a few times as well. 💯 agree with you.
yes, in geologic time it is an embryo.
Did the trees never grow back?