Mt. Saint Helens

I am now in Idaho and the weekend was busy, so here I am, still on Friday.

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Can you believe I actually went to a volcano?! Well you have to, because I totally did.

This is the Mount Saint Helens in Washington which blew up exactly 34 years ago, the 18th of May, 1980.
(Ironically we visited the place on the 16th =))

I knew that we did have an active volcano in our very own United States, but didn't know anything really about it. Now I know something! Well, about that..... =)

Since volcanoes are always being watched for change, this blow was anticipated for a couple weeks before.

It started around 9:30 in the morning with a giant landslide of one side of the mountain because of the collapse inside. That landslide was a mass of dirt, rocks/boulders, snow, and water which left a huge messy path after it down the mountain and then all around. Then it blew tons and tons of everything sky high in a blast that spread out over the ridges all around. It was so powerful that it literally sheared off all the trees for miles around, and leaving humongous boulders and piles of ash. For a few days afterward in the towns and cities around there was a heavy cloud of ash in and on everything. 

So, with the landslide removing quite a bit of the earth that could grow things, trees blasted away, and basically a new landscape formed by that impressive force flying all over, it looks a bit desolate around there, even with the 34 years improvement. 

This is the mountain as we were driving up. Most volcanoes blow straight up, but St. Helens surprised everyone and blew out the side, causing more of a horizontal destruction. 

There is a series of ridges all around, and this one is on the side that blew out. See how it looks so barren? The trees literally got blown off. A lot of places got replanted, but the rest of the topography was left as an experiment to study the natural regrowth. 

The blow flew at the ridges in such a way that it totally destroyed one side of a ridge and the other side didn't have nearly the same damage.

Alyssa & Uncle Chad

It's hard to depict HOW far down something really is, but believe me, this was FAR down. It's a big valley between the ridges with the bottom of it looking like a giant construction site. A bit of growth is down there - enough for elk to enjoy themselves!

That mountain that's all white in the background is Mt Rainier, and hard to pick up through a camera. You have to go there to see it all yourself =)

Another day Uncle Chad did a 16 mile hike that took him around that ridge on the left. He said there is literally no shade and quite exhausting on a hot day, but the view from the other side is amazing.

I'm going back sometime to check it out....

That very thin line along the edge was our hiking trail! If someone slipped off that, there would be nothing to stop them from going all the way to the bottom of the valley.....

....Not the most comforting of an idea, but definitely something to keep in mind when you slip on a pebble and have to flail your arms to keep your balance!

The lake down there is full of logs that got blown in at the time of the blow up, but they are not allowed to be touched. Not really sure why they can't be taken out, but they are worth a LOT of money now because of some deal with how long they've been preserved? maybe?

Dear Alyssa....It was her 20th birthday and she happened to not have work until night that day, so she got to go with us.

This is where lunch is eaten best....

The power of the force that blew all the trees actually twisted the wood of this tree trunk. The blast sent it spinning through the air, obviously at very high rates of speed.

Uncle Chad found my boyfriend he says..... " I am excited to introduce you to Big Foot, my boyfriend.....Do you think he's a little tall?...." 

Yep. Uhhh....Nope. Uhhh... What?!

If you get a chance, go hike on or around a volcano, especially one that has recently blown. It'll be an experience that is fabulous =) 

The majestic-ness of God's creation and power is SO evident in places like this.