Getting the flavor of ... Mount St. Helens now

Hike along the trails around Mount St. Helens and you'll encounter lava flows, recovering flora, and other signs of the volcanic erruption in 1980.

Mount St. Helens now

Circumnavigate Mount St. Helens and you can get lost in the “shadow of America’s most famous volcano,” said Adrienne Saia Isaac in Backpacker. Hike the nearly 29 miles of the Loowit Trail, and “you’ll scramble over old lava flows, witness recovering flora, and peek into the infamous crater” that in 1980 caused the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. For now the 8,365-foot volcano is dormant and provides a “challenging, rocky route” for even experienced backpackers. Ramble through classic Pacific Northwest scenery, along the Toutle River, to catch glimpses of a restricted blast zone that scientists are still studying. Cross the “moon-like expanse” of the Plains of Abraham, created by repeated avalanches. Head up the 4,900-foot Windy Pass to catch sight of Spirit Lake and Mount Rainier to the north. On the way down, gullies of broken rock open to “lupine-packed meadows”—a picture-perfect close to an eye-opening journey.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us