Saint
Helens, July 19th, 2003
On
May 18th 1980 I was in Hawaii when this mountain erupted.
The tons and tons of ash the eruption had put into the atmosphere
streaked around the world in the jet stream causing blood red sunsets off the
Kauai coast. I returned to Portland
Oregon in 1981 in time to get a few more “dustings” from this behemoth,
never dreaming at the time that this would be a mountain that I would ever
climb. Here are a few shots of what
I believe to be my 4th ascent on Saint Helens.
The trip is a 2 mile hike through a wooded area, a couple thousand feet of climbing over boulders , and a long trudge up the pumice sand rim. Usually done in 3 to 4 hours with a little conditioning, the views offered are stunning with panoramas of Mount Hood (over my left shoulder in this picture) and Mount Adams . Pictures here are of my ascent with Northwest Discoveries, guiding 13 clients up the mountain with the professional help of Gordy Smith and Rich Waugh.
