Where in the "Fog" is Mount St. Helen's? (Day 10)

 We were so happy to wake up to a sunny day because we were heading up 4200 feet to see Mount St. Helen's.  This year marks the 31st anniversary of the eruption of the mountain and yesterday a new observatory opened  in memory of this catastrophic event.  At first,  as as we drove up Spirit Lake Rd., there seemed to be little evidence of any disaster.  However, the signs reminded us that many of the trees that we were seeing had been replanted in designated years.

 Shortly, as we ascended the mountain we could see the evidence of a blast that blew down 230 square miles of forests.  Trees still jam the rivers in places or lay on the ground like pencils in the direction in which they were blown down by the pyroclastic blast.  The water still flows with the gray color of the ash that we were told layered the mountain in places up to 600 feet,  

Okay...this is not good.  In the mountains the weather can change in a matter of minutes as you ascend.  By the time we got closer to the top it began to rain and then snow.  All this way to see fog?

We could see some of the mountain with a lot of fog. You never knew from minute to minute what you would see on Mount St. Helen's because the fog moved in and out constantly.  The newly-built observatory was great with some unbelievable views of the mountains (if you could see it all).  We don't feel bad because we heard a couple say that they were here 15 years ago and they couldn't see it then because of fog.

On the way down we got some better views of Mount St. Helen's and the sun came out again.  Yes...I did pick up a rock to add to my collection.  Love those rocks!  Can't wait to get to Alaska and Canada to pick up some more! :-)