Mount Saint Helens, Washington
A fine mist rose from the surface of the Columbia River on this cool, clear morning as the sun began its colorful ascent and we cruised toward the dock at the small town of Ranier. After breakfast, we disembarked the Sea Lion and boarded buses for our excursion to Mount Saint Helens.
Heading north and then east with our guides, there were several opportunities to view the mountain and stretch our legs as we made our way to the Johnstone Ridge Observatory at 4,200 feet. The blown out mountain yawned before us, exposing the actively growing dome inside. The mountain lost about 1,300 feet in elevation during the eruption of May 18, 1980 and it now stands at 8,364 feet above sea level. It has been periodically active over the years since then, including an eruption of the dome in October of 2004. Magma continues to push up from below and the dome has rebuilt once again. It is now larger than the previous one, and currently gains about five feet per day and has risen over 1,000 vertical feet in the last two years. Steam escapes from vents where the new growth is occurring. A small glacier has formed in the crater and is being pushed to the side by the increasing dome, yet it persists and advances. It is fascinating to see the forces of fire and ice opposing each other in such close proximity.
We enjoyed views of elk in the Toutle Valley below us. They have repopulated with the rebirth of the land after complete devastation. A wonderful luncheon was served by our hotel and galley staff in a picnic area with the mountain as our backdrop. The weather could not have been more perfect.
Besides the Cascade volcanoes, the Pacific Northwest has other spectacular geologic formations that are the result of catastrophic events. Some of these features will be viewed over the next few days of our voyage on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
A fine mist rose from the surface of the Columbia River on this cool, clear morning as the sun began its colorful ascent and we cruised toward the dock at the small town of Ranier. After breakfast, we disembarked the Sea Lion and boarded buses for our excursion to Mount Saint Helens.
Heading north and then east with our guides, there were several opportunities to view the mountain and stretch our legs as we made our way to the Johnstone Ridge Observatory at 4,200 feet. The blown out mountain yawned before us, exposing the actively growing dome inside. The mountain lost about 1,300 feet in elevation during the eruption of May 18, 1980 and it now stands at 8,364 feet above sea level. It has been periodically active over the years since then, including an eruption of the dome in October of 2004. Magma continues to push up from below and the dome has rebuilt once again. It is now larger than the previous one, and currently gains about five feet per day and has risen over 1,000 vertical feet in the last two years. Steam escapes from vents where the new growth is occurring. A small glacier has formed in the crater and is being pushed to the side by the increasing dome, yet it persists and advances. It is fascinating to see the forces of fire and ice opposing each other in such close proximity.
We enjoyed views of elk in the Toutle Valley below us. They have repopulated with the rebirth of the land after complete devastation. A wonderful luncheon was served by our hotel and galley staff in a picnic area with the mountain as our backdrop. The weather could not have been more perfect.
Besides the Cascade volcanoes, the Pacific Northwest has other spectacular geologic formations that are the result of catastrophic events. Some of these features will be viewed over the next few days of our voyage on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.
