Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument:
Temperature: mid-60's
Visit Date: June 15
Route taken: Coming from the north, I took WA 12 west to I-5 south, then 504 to the Visitors Center
Mt. St. Helens has always been on my bucket list, so I figured I should swing by on my way south from Rainier. The weather was cloudy and cold with a little bit of precipitation, but provided for some dark broody pictures of the mountain. The flowers were exquisite, and stood in stark contrast to the gloomy picture of volcanic devastation that I had in my mind. If Mt. St. Helens surprised me with anything, it was how quickly nature can recover from a massive natural disaster; while not the same, the catastrophe provided the opportunity for new beauty to grow from the ashes.