Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2016 11:14:14 GMT -8
Not the most recent hike, but a favorite, and the "What was..." news story thread brought this to the fore again.
When I was 5 I watched the reports about the St Helens eruption on the news. It was one of the first stories I recognized as a significant event, partly because I understood that mountains were "so much" bigger than the hills of Southern Illinois that I grew up in, partly because my parents avoided the TV as much as possible when we were young. While I'm not sure if the TV stayed on longer for this event, the event so thoroughly amazed me that I gravitate toward a lifelong fascination with the place.
Given this, when the opportunity presented itself on our first anniversary, my wife and I decided to do a morning side-trip up to Johnson Ridge to stare down the Breach across the Pumice Plain. We then spent the day, hiking out to Harry's Ridge before driving down to hike the Hummocks on the north side, and around for some more in the Lahar, the Lava Canyon, and Ape Cave on the south.
Needless to say this merely whet my appetite for experiences there and I was ready to return the second we left. Thus, when given the opportunity to pick a hike for my 40th, St Helens was on the top of my list and I tried to enlist a cadre of old friends for the event. But, after various attempts to reconnect repeatedly fell through, I was left to mishmash the trip together at the last minute and ended up day hiking, backpacking, camping, and car camping over 5 hot and pretty much cloudless days last August to see more.
Some highlights for me:
The often abundant patches of wildflowers, including this stand just past the Norway Pass Trail Head.
The view of Mt St Helens from above Bear Pass with Norway Pass in foreground. The guidebook I got said that Norway view over Spirit lake toward St Helens was iconic. For me the higher I climbed the better the view was as it gave a better overall picture of the Monument.
This view of Mt Ranier was mainly about looking back down the trail from next to the "peak" of Mt Margaret, I kind of took way to may pictures of the unnamed outcrop in the center, so I must have liked how it looked.
On approach to Mt Whittier, and the last shot till I got to the other side, as I don't handle wide open places as well as I should sometimes and tend to duck my head an get it done. Loved doing Whittier though and would not trade the experience for another.
Liked making the turn off Smith Creek Trail toward Lava Canyon as I around halfway to my destination on this route.
One of the ancient volcanic formations exposed in Lava Canyon, as even with crowds the place has enough nooks an crannies to feel alone at times.
Sugar Bowl and the Breach from Windy Ridge Trail.
The same from below at the SE corner of the Pumice Plain
Loowit Falls cutting its way into the Sasquatch Steps below the Breach 
Mt Adams was a constant traveling companion on my way to the crater rim. Adams and Ranier were visible a lot of the time and Hood even put in some appearances while I was there.
Passing the crowd after second monitor, as training on glacial sand dunes at Sleeping Bear and Indiana Dunes paid off. 
No picture will ever do the pay-off view I got from the rim justice. 
Headed for the true summit, again pics quickly end as I concentrate on my footwork after a slip.
