I FINALLY explored the Mt. St. Helens area, after having lived her for 25 years. It’s gorgeous, especially when the wildflowers are in full bloom. It’s pretty incredible to see evidence of the damage and complete destruction that was caused 30+ years ago, and then to see the life coming back into the area.
We hiked the Harry’s Ridge Trail, which offers excellent views of the crater, blast zone, and Spirit Lake. (even better than from the Johnston Ridge Observatory). One part of the hike is a bit sketchy, a long traverse carved into a steep hillside with a large drop-off below, but the views of St. Helens from here are just incredible, it’s hard to focus on keeping feet on the trail without always stopping to look around and imagine what it would have been like there in 1980.
The views from Harry’s Ridge down to Spirit Lake, with Mt. Adams in the close background, are definitely worth the hike. There was a herd of elk down below on the banks of the lake enjoying the sunshine. Overall, about 8 miles round trip, with only a few hundred feet of elevation gain and loss. Spectacular hike, spectacular views, and definitely something I’ll do again.
