|
 |
Windy Ridge,
Back Door of Mt. St.
Helens
click on photos to enlarge
 |
| Spirit Lake, driftwood strewn shore, by
Windy Ridge. Former site of the legendary Harry Truman's lodge covered with mud and debris during the massive eruption of May 18, 1980 of Mt. St. Helens. |
Once on the steeply climbing Forest Road 99, with the auto tranny
shifted in second, the vanagon crawls its way up to Windy Ridge.
The forest is lush and green until we enter the blast zone.
Abruptly the colors change to browns and grays in the
vast blown down forest, but there are patches of green new
growth sprouting among the still desolate landscape.
Arriving at the top, at Windy Ridge, we enjoy the panoramic
view of Mt. St. Helens with its lava dome visible through
the clouds, and Spirit Lake below.
At 4,170 feet, we are surrounded by denuded hillsides
covered with blown down, splintered timber, the ground still
covered in gray ash.
A picnic at Windy Ridge, and wait until the clouds part,
just long enough for a short glimpse of the lava dome
in St. Helen's crater. At the top, there are many
brown salamanders and other signs of life returning.
 |
| Splintered timber by Meta Lake. |
 |
| Small patches of green in the scarred land. |
 |
| Sign read: "The Miner's Car, destroyed when the volcano erupted. Triggered by an earthquake, a stone filled wind roared over the land. The 400 F. blast cloud raced through the forest at 350 mph." |
 |
| Lava Dome visible inside St. Helen's crater. Only 4.5 miles from Windy Ridge. |
 |
| Another view of Spirit Lake from Windy Ridge. |
 |
| Brown salamander, a sign of life returning to the blast zone. |
