My friend and I decided to drive up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory in Washington State and do a casual hike and to pay homage to those who lost their lives. Escaping the heat of city, this stretch of the Cascade Ranges is clean, pure, and cool.
Our first stop was Mt. St. Helens Learning Center where they have numerous exhibits and hands-on displays of the volcano itself and the flora and fauna. It was a great place to learn, until I found out Weyerhaeuser sponsors the center. I am always skeptical when private firms have to stick their fingers on a center of learning like this as part of the exhibit also showcases why the forest industry is good. However, it is still a good place to visit because the other draw is an amazing landscape of Bear Creek below. You can see how the pyroclastic flows shaped and altered the landscape.
The eruption was so large it stripped the land everything in its path, even the soil that covered these majestic ridges. But now you can see the vegetation is slowly coming back to life.
Before you reach the Johnston Ridge Observatory, I recommend one final stop, and that is the Loowit Viewpoint. It is a great place to view Mt. St. Helens and the surrounding area.
Johnston Ridge Observatory is another amazing place to visit. Again there is a lot of interactive learning including a movie theatre and a large 3D model of the volcano and an interactive presentation with lights on the model, showing the various activities of the volcano. There is an admission to the center but it also allows you access to the hiking trails.
I highly recommend doing the hike, whether it is a few hours or half a day. The views of the volcano is spectacular, and seriously makes you feel small, humble, and insignificant. The sun shines very brightly here so remember to bring: sunscreen, water, granola bars, hiking stick, sunglasses, and a good pair of hiking boots.
No comments:
Post a Comment