The high country above Mt. St. Helens
Today we did an 11.5 mile hike up to the high country to the north of Mt. St. Helens. This hike, following Boundary Trail #1 from Norway Pass to the summit of Mt. Margaret, provides the best views of the volcano of any hike, at least according to the two books on hiking in Washington that I used, 100 Classic Hikes in Washington and Washington Hiking. Based on our experience today I would have to agree.
The view of Mt. St. Helens and Spirit Lake from Norway Pass
The Boundary Trail runs through country directly hit by the 1980 eruption. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of the devastation caused by the blast wave.
However, these high mountains have recovered far better than the plains at the base of the volcano. Many slopes looked like any typical Alpine forest, with many young evergreens and the ground covered with thick brush, grass, and flowers.
One final thought about the scientific research that I described at Mt. St. Helens yesterday. The one thing I forgot to note is how much the 1980 eruption changed volcano research in the United States. When it occurred, the only active volcano observatory in the United States was in Hawaii. Now there is a whole network of additional observatories in the Northwest, Alaska, the Sierra Nevada and Yellowstone.
When the next mainland volcano finally decides to erupt — as did Mt. St. Helens — the geologists who study these things will therefore be far more prepared to tackle the event than they were in 1980. And because of this readiness the next explosion should be a far more amazing event for ordinary citizens to watch as well.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
Today we did an 11.5 mile hike up to the high country to the north of Mt. St. Helens. This hike, following Boundary Trail #1 from Norway Pass to the summit of Mt. Margaret, provides the best views of the volcano of any hike, at least according to the two books on hiking in Washington that I used, 100 Classic Hikes in Washington and Washington Hiking. Based on our experience today I would have to agree.
The view of Mt. St. Helens and Spirit Lake from Norway Pass
The Boundary Trail runs through country directly hit by the 1980 eruption. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of the devastation caused by the blast wave.
However, these high mountains have recovered far better than the plains at the base of the volcano. Many slopes looked like any typical Alpine forest, with many young evergreens and the ground covered with thick brush, grass, and flowers.
One final thought about the scientific research that I described at Mt. St. Helens yesterday. The one thing I forgot to note is how much the 1980 eruption changed volcano research in the United States. When it occurred, the only active volcano observatory in the United States was in Hawaii. Now there is a whole network of additional observatories in the Northwest, Alaska, the Sierra Nevada and Yellowstone.
When the next mainland volcano finally decides to erupt — as did Mt. St. Helens — the geologists who study these things will therefore be far more prepared to tackle the event than they were in 1980. And because of this readiness the next explosion should be a far more amazing event for ordinary citizens to watch as well.
Readers!
Every February I run a fund-raising drive during my birthday month. This year I celebrate my 72nd birthday, and hope and plan to continue writing and posting on Behind the Black for as long as I am able.
I hope my readers will support this effort. As I did in my November fund-raising drive, I am offering autographed copies of my books for large donations. Donate $250 and you can have a choice of the hardback of either Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8 or Conscious Choice: The origins of slavery in America and why it matters today and for our future in outer space. Donate $200 and you can get an autographed paperback copy of either. IMPORTANT! If you donate enough to get a book, please email me separately to tell me which book you want and the address to mail it to.
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. My analysis of space, politics, and culture, taken from the perspective of an historian, is almost always on the money and ahead of the game. For example, in 2020 I correctly predicted that the COVID panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Every one of those 2020 conclusions has turned out right.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
A trio of beautiful photos!