Mount Saint Helens Visit

We've been to Mount Saint Helens a few times, but always on the southern and eastern sides. We've never gone to the more visited Johnston Ridge on the north side so we decided to make a day trip there. Though it was supposed to be a hot sunny day the clouds got more and more abundant as we drove closer to the volcano. Fortunately the clouds burned off to treat us to a beautiful day. We stopped for a picnic at Coldwater Lake which didn't exist before the 1980 eruption. The girls enjoyed playing in the lake, walking a nice boardwalk trail and looking at the wildlife. After our picnic we drove up to the ridge and visited the Johnston Ridge Observatoy. Though it was nice we were surprised how small it was it didn't openly have any information about David Johnston, the volcanologist who died on ridge during the 1980 eruption. Outside the observatory we saw a great view of Mount Saint Helens looking directly into the crater. To the east we could see Mount Margaret and Windy Ridge which we had been to previously. We were glad to finally visit Johnson Ridge, which was nice, but we felt that making the long drive to the St. Helens is better suited to an overnight trip on the other sides of volcano where more sites of interest can be found.

Coldwater Lake

Coldwater Lake Boardwalk

Lupine
Lupine

Mount Saint Helens

View from Johnston Ridge Observatory

Mount Margaret

Flowers on Johnston Ridge

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August 28, 2011