Short drive today to Seaquest State Park just outside of Castle Rock, WA. Since we were on the Columbia River Gorge when we started out, it wasn't long before we crossed over from Oregon to Washington. The interstate highway along the gorge was "so picturesque" we wanted to take pictures for the blog but, at 65 miles per, it is not easy to get a picture.
Chose this place due to it's proximity to Mt. St. Helens National Monument (no camping allowed here) but it's still about 45 miles away from the National Monument.
Pulled into the site, unhooked the car, and drove to see Mt. St. Helens. By the time we got there and back the day was over. But an unbelievable site to see! Tomorrow we will go to Mt. Rainier N/P, or close to it, depending on the weather. From there we will car-tour the park for several days and try to make a side trip to the back side of Mt. St. Helens as well for a different view of the destruction it caused. We couldn't see both sides today and it will be easily accessible from Mt. Rainier.
Pictures from today - don't have the time to pick & choose the best. None of them really are as great as "up close and personal" but I'm working with a cell phone camera. So I'm just posting all of them and hope they give a little perspective. There is nothing that can compare with viewing it with your own eyes. We really are not " Kickin back much". We have so much that we want to see and a limited window "weather wise" to see it. WOW! It 's becoming overwhelming, but oh so good! Hope you are not tired of the mountains yet because we are not but, the Pacific coast is not far away and soon we will have a different view.
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| Drive along the road up to Johnston Observatory, the closest point to where we can see Mt. St. Helens without a special "permit" to hike to the rim of the crater. Takes two days to get one and we don't have the time to wait - but what a missed opportunity! |
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| Side view where part of the mountain blew away. REALLY!! Wish we had an original picture or could have seen it before it blew! It was the biggest avalanche in recorded history. The whole side of the mountain broke away and slid down into the valley creating a 5.5 earthquake. Then, with all the pressure of the mountain top gone, the hot lava and gasses "plugged" underneath blew out and "cremated" everything for miles around. Finally, the700 degree heat melted all the snow and glaciers on the mountain and created a massive flood of water, rock, and debris. |
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| We really thought that it would be a desolate area but totally not. It is very green and fertile thanks to all of the plantings after the 1980 blast that took the "top off of the mountain" |
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| Mt. Adams in the background |
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| Back to camp, Goodnight! |
