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takeda | profile | all galleries >> life in washington >> visiting the volcano tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

visiting the volcano

had the day off (Discovererer's/Columbus Day, which we don't get in Hawaii), weather was amazingly good, long 3 hour drive (one way, left at 0900, got home at 1930), 332 miles round trip, buzzin after drinking mountain dew and red bull to keep me awake. but it was worth it. i'm glad i went.

ok, stories for some of the pics below
the first observatory was owned by Weyerhouser, the paper company. They've owned a majority of the lands around the volcano since about 1900. When the mountain blew in 1980, it destroyed most of their property. So they put a huge effort into restoring the area. They picked up whatever timber was still good after being burnt and blown down.
What they do normally is after cutting an area of trees, they plant new ones. However in this case, they had to replant about 2 million trees by hand. It took them years, and you can still seem them growing to catch up. They made the National Park after the eruption, so they couldn't help those trees grow. So in the park, the trees don't grow so well naturally compared to the Weyerhouser land.
2nd story: Sound. When it erupted in 1980, it was just a big park, no national park, observatories, etc. Just a big mountain. So there were some campers, etc around. When it did blow up, the sound got blown skyward. I think it was something like for some 60 miles around the volcano, no one heard it blow, as the sound bounced off the atmosphere and didn't land til 60 miles out. They saw and heard all the trees being blown down and the cloud and wind without hearing the explosion itself. Kinda scary.
g'nite.
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Welcome to the Mountain
Welcome to the Mountain
on my way there... kinda foggy, luckily it cleared up further south
on my way there... kinda foggy, luckily it cleared up further south
crossing the tacoma narrow's bridge, you can see mt rainier
crossing the tacoma narrow's bridge, you can see mt rainier
another shot of mount rainier (oh yeah, i'm taking these pics while driving, heh)
another shot of mount rainier (oh yeah, i'm taking these pics while driving, heh)
you don't see this in hawaii
you don't see this in hawaii
more logs
more logs
another truck
another truck
clean logs
clean logs
i had to take a pit stop in the capitol to relieve some pressure
i had to take a pit stop in the capitol to relieve some pressure
i think you can see mount rainier under the clouds.
i think you can see mount rainier under the clouds.
there was a big fire, so lots of smoke
there was a big fire, so lots of smoke
almost there.
almost there.
first shot of the volcano
first shot of the volcano
2nd shot of volcano
2nd shot of volcano
yes, i'm taking pictures while driving.
yes, i'm taking pictures while driving.
the bridge is the edge of the blast zone
the bridge is the edge of the blast zone
bridge
bridge
weyerhouser replanting the forest HAND BY HAND, over a million something trees
weyerhouser replanting the forest HAND BY HAND, over a million something trees
bridge again
bridge again
bridge info
bridge info
aloha spirit is everywhere
aloha spirit is everywhere
on this van
on this van
the first lookout, weyerhouser's one
the first lookout, weyerhouser's one
closer
closer
and closer
and closer
map of the park and road.  the last, closest (leftmost on map) observatory was closed because its too close
map of the park and road. the last, closest (leftmost on map) observatory was closed because its too close
more map
more map
map again
map again
helicopter tours, i think they were $100
helicopter tours, i think they were $100
jet overhead
jet overhead
lots of steam
lots of steam
panoramic shot, but i don't got the software on this pc to do it.
panoramic shot, but i don't got the software on this pc to do it.
panorama 2
panorama 2
panorama 3
panorama 3
panorama 4
panorama 4
panorama 5
panorama 5
panorama 6
panorama 6
panorama 7
panorama 7
panorama 8
panorama 8
panorama 9
panorama 9
this river was actually 200 ft below this level, but the flow of mud filled up this valley thick for 19 miles downstream
this river was actually 200 ft below this level, but the flow of mud filled up this valley thick for 19 miles downstream
there should be elk down there
there should be elk down there
don't you see them?
don't you see them?
just me
just me
again more mountain
again more mountain
nice day
nice day
it was very cool
it was very cool
lookout to see the elk below
lookout to see the elk below
elk info
elk info
they are down there
they are down there
See?
See?
i told you
i told you
more valley
more valley
and observatory
and observatory
i know, lots of pics, sorry, can't help it, DIGITAL!
i know, lots of pics, sorry, can't help it, DIGITAL!
weyerhouser again
weyerhouser again
vertical shot
vertical shot
downstream
downstream
its not real, trust me.
its not real, trust me.
weyerhouser viewpoint. - see story up top
weyerhouser viewpoint. - see story up top
before and after
before and after
more
more
model
model
in weyerhouser's museum
in weyerhouser's museum
back end of a logging truck
back end of a logging truck
model of what they dealt with
model of what they dealt with
PA110130.JPG
PA110130.JPG
sample log cuts
sample log cuts
photo of destruction
photo of destruction
tilt your head to the left a little
tilt your head to the left a little
this one was cool. refer to story on first page
this one was cool. refer to story on first page
contrast
contrast
sound waves missed the 60 miles closest to the volcano
sound waves missed the 60 miles closest to the volcano
where sound was/wasn't heard
where sound was/wasn't heard
waterfall on the side of the road
waterfall on the side of the road
more waterfall
more waterfall
again
again
entering park
entering park
postcard shot
postcard shot
mountain
mountain
another one
another one
zoomed in
zoomed in
me again
me again
ta-da!
ta-da!
steamin
steamin
some professional photographer under his hood
some professional photographer under his hood
media and the mountain
media and the mountain
camping out, taking up a whole viewpoint for their own.  waiting for something big to blow
camping out, taking up a whole viewpoint for their own. waiting for something big to blow
mt.
mt.
more mountain
more mountain
getting closer
getting closer
and closer
and closer
national park observatory
national park observatory
cool place
cool place
in the observatory
in the observatory
restaurant overlook
restaurant overlook
lots of tourists
lots of tourists
earthquake activity - sept 03
earthquake activity - sept 03
close up if you couldn't read it (like me)
close up if you couldn't read it (like me)
earthquake activity last week
earthquake activity last week
another zoom in
another zoom in
inside lookout
inside lookout
shots of what original eruption looked like and mudslide.
shots of what original eruption looked like and mudslide.
lake created when mudflow blocked up the river, 200 ft deep i think
lake created when mudflow blocked up the river, 200 ft deep i think
more water
more water
i think this was a panorama too
i think this was a panorama too
you can see all the old mud and ash
you can see all the old mud and ash
river/lake
river/lake
river/lake and mountain
river/lake and mountain
zoomin in
zoomin in
and closer
and closer
lots of steam
lots of steam
zoomed in all the way
zoomed in all the way
i love taking pictures if you can't tell
i love taking pictures if you can't tell
everything closer to the mountain past the observatory was closed off
everything closer to the mountain past the observatory was closed off
some big rock that was thrown here from the mountain
some big rock that was thrown here from the mountain
close up of rock
close up of rock
that dead ridge again
that dead ridge again
story telling time
story telling time
steaming behind
steaming behind
about rocks and what 'might' happen.  they don't really know for sure
about rocks and what 'might' happen. they don't really know for sure
me again
me again
during 1980 explosion, the ash and smoke reached the point where the observatory now is in 60 seconds!, 19 miles in 10 minutes
during 1980 explosion, the ash and smoke reached the point where the observatory now is in 60 seconds!, 19 miles in 10 minutes
more me,
more me,
more recent earthquake activity, sept 22
more recent earthquake activity, sept 22
sept 24
sept 24
sept 30, now you can see why they're concerned
sept 30, now you can see why they're concerned
last week, i guess i missed a good show, oh well, i was at work
last week, i guess i missed a good show, oh well, i was at work
up to date activity
up to date activity
wire framed topography map
wire framed topography map
that explained the explosion
that explained the explosion
horizontal shot
horizontal shot
trying for an artistic shot, but didn't work
trying for an artistic shot, but didn't work
only trail open now
only trail open now
PA110112.JPG
PA110112.JPG
portland news.  i got interviewed after, since they thought i was a Volcano Expert since I was from hawaii, yeah right.
portland news. i got interviewed after, since they thought i was a "Volcano Expert" since I was from hawaii, yeah right.
getting overcast
getting overcast
a jet flew by way overhead, creating a opposite jet stream in the clouds
a jet flew by way overhead, creating a opposite jet stream in the clouds
i just noticed the dead trees still lying there
i just noticed the dead trees still lying there
zoomed in
zoomed in
down the hillside
down the hillside
natural growth of the forest (compare to the shots near the weyerhouser lookout)
natural growth of the forest (compare to the shots near the weyerhouser lookout)
another dead ridge behind
another dead ridge behind
closer
closer
another one
another one
zoomed in (i love my zoom)
zoomed in (i love my zoom)
i think this is the edge where weyerhouser's property ends and the nat'l park begins.
i think this is the edge where weyerhouser's property ends and the nat'l park begins.
man-helped vs natural growth, i guess we do do good sometimes
man-helped vs natural growth, i guess we do do good sometimes
more postcard shots
more postcard shots
more edge of man vs nature
more edge of man vs nature
can't take enough
can't take enough
lots of amateur photographers hoping to get the best shot
lots of amateur photographers hoping to get the best shot
and people just chillin in the parking lot
and people just chillin in the parking lot
another angle
another angle
ingenious!
ingenious!
observatory and volcano
observatory and volcano
helicopter and volcano, to compare the size of it
helicopter and volcano, to compare the size of it
i think that was a USGA one taking readings or photos
i think that was a USGA one taking readings or photos
you can take your pets for a bathroom break too
you can take your pets for a bathroom break too
they brought in a whole bunch of extra rangers to handle the large crowds
they brought in a whole bunch of extra rangers to handle the large crowds
path to the sediment dam that the army corp of engineers built
path to the sediment dam that the army corp of engineers built
after the 1980 eruption to hopefully stop the flow of ash from causing the same damage again
after the 1980 eruption to hopefully stop the flow of ash from causing the same damage again
info
info
short path
short path
i'm walking in the wrong direction.  oh well
i'm walking in the wrong direction. oh well
dam!
dam!
it looks kinda small, not sure it would actually work
it looks kinda small, not sure it would actually work
but i'm not an engineer, so i don't know anything
but i'm not an engineer, so i don't know anything
just trees
just trees
fall colors starting to change
fall colors starting to change
i forget why i took this
i forget why i took this
last shot of the mountain
last shot of the mountain
sunset
sunset
back over the bridge
back over the bridge
bye!
bye!
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