Mt St Helens Windy Ridge View Point & Spirit Lake

Mt St Helens from Windy Ridge Viewpoint

Johnston Observatory from Windy Ridge


To drive to Johnston from Windy Ridge is about 150 miles. Park Rangers have been known to walk across the valley to Windy Ridge and back in a shorter time than to drive one way.






The Valley between Johnston and Windy Ridge



Crater and mudslide flowpath snow still remains on mountain top and sides. In the right side picture in the crater shows a new dome that has grown in the 80's and into the 90's then it stopped growing.

Meta Lake
This lake was protected by the mountain directly in front of the blast zone. The destruction of the forest that was on either side of the lake received the effects of the blast. The lake area received up to 6-8 inches of ash. When the scientist started inspecting these areas they were surprised to find that nature was already starting its comeback. Plant life and fish in the lake had survived. The return of wildlife like deer, elk, and moose have helped with the reforestation with their daily animal droppings that contains seeds of what they eat.

KRMO TV Car abandoned at scene

The reporter was driving this car covering the story and had to abandon it. He was rescued and survived. The car was donated to one of the visitor centers on the road to Johnston Center.

Spirit Lake with Logs from eruption

Spirit Lake with estimated million logs floating on the surface. They are not to be removed as this is a National Volcanic Monument. Today the lake is estimated to be about 200 feet higher in elevation than May 18, 1980. The lake was in direct blast zone where the mudslides from the mountain flowed before eruption with the rising temperatures and then the blast changed the complete landscape. Scientist determined that when the mountain exploded that it caused everything in front of it to travel several hundred miles per hour and the mud, rocks, trees hit the lake with such force that a wave several hundred feet high went across the lake and up the the next mountain. When it rolled back took the trees that were hit by the blast fell back into the lake along with all the mud and debris to raise it level by about 2oo feet higher than before the eruption.

Two points that are seen just upper left and below right of center are the approximate location of where the Spirit Lodge was location. It was owned and operated by Harry Truman who refused to leave his home where he lived for 50 years. He died there with his dog and 13 cats.

There was so much to see. We only spent a couple of days to view the mountain, Spirit Lake and the view points along the main roads. We would have liked to visit the Ape Caves and the Lava Canyon. Next time! There's a lot more to see and do in Washington state.