Mount St Helens: Putting Baby Beest's New Superpowers to the Test

Baby Beest was definitely limping along as we made our way from Port Townsend to Vancouver, Washington. The evening before we were to bring her into the RAM repair shop, we braced ourselves to be "homeless" for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to a few months. We checked into a nearby hotel and prepared to make the best of our situation while the mechanics ran their diagnostics. All we could do was wait and hope the repair estimate, however long or costly it turned out to be, would help us decide where RVentures would lead us next.

We figured that we would have at least a week to explore the city. And much to our delight, Vancouver proved to be another very easy and fun city to explore.

Our hotel was near the city's largest mall, so we had a number of coffee shops, bakeries, breweries, and restaurants to choose from. Of course, we had to check out the local donut legend, VooDoo Donuts, at least once.

The city's bus transit center was located there, and we quickly found out how easy it was to catch a ride to downtown Vancouver where ...

historical sites,

river walks,

and of course, more restaurants and breweries awaited to be discovered.

Crispy cheesy shrimp tacos ... Doug's new obsession!

We visited Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, perched on the north bank of the Columbia River. In the early 1800s, it was the site of Hudson Bay Company’s main supply depot and a hub for the fur trade industry. As we wandered through the restored buildings, volunteers brought the era to life, helping us imagine the daily routines of this once-vibrant economic, political, and cultural center. After the Oregon Treaty of 1846 placed the land under U.S. jurisdiction, the site shifted from a bustling trading post to an important military base. 

 Doug sat on the porch of Fort Vancouver's commander's house while I visited the many restored buildings, and watched the skills and heard the stories from the park's knowledgeable volunteers.

It was fun exploring the city for a few days, but thankfully, it was short-lived. By the end of the first day, we had the mechanic's diagnosis. The bad news? Yes, we needed a new engine .... ouch! The good news? They actually had one in stock, which meant the repair could be done quickly.

Three days later,

... Doug was checking out Baby Beest’s new under-the-hood

Superpowers!

After maxing out our credit cards, it was time to test out Baby Beest's new engine. Understandably, we were a little hesitant about venturing too far from Vancouver. We had always been interested in visiting Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument, and after checking out the route on Google Maps, it seemed like a perfect "test-drive" destination.

We both remember hearing about the devastation when Mount St Helens erupted on May 18, 1980, but we never imagined the incredible beauty we would witness when, once again, Mother Nature has emerged victorious over a natural disaster.

The massive eruption triggered the largest debris avalanche ever recorded, wiping out vast stretches of forest and claiming 57 lives. Though it forever altered the landscape, it also turned the area into a living laboratory, where scientists continue to study how the earth heals and ecosystems rebound after such devastation.

We tested Baby Beest's mountain climbing skills as we drove up the highway into the park. Starting at sea level, we saw the face of the volcano after we ascended to an elevation of about 4000 feet.

A stop at the Mount St Helens Visitor Center told us the story of the history surrounding the park and the effect of the eruption on the people, landscape, and wildlife.

A little further up the road, the Forest Learning Center showed us how the surrounding forest area is home to millions of acres of new-growth timber thanks to the joint efforts of the national government and private businesses. Weyerhaeuser, a major forest products company, worked quickly after the eruption to gather the millions of fallen trees and replant the barren hillsides. This cooperation between the government and private business is evident today as we looked out at the surrounding hills. Forty-five years ago these hills were stripped bare, but today they glimmer with the brilliant green of healthy pines.

As a result of the eruption's massive landslides, area lakes were buried, and the courses of local rivers were dramatically changed. But, a positive benefit was the creation of new area lakes like this beautiful gem ... Coldwater Lake.

Located at the farthest point that one can drive to in the park, Coldwater Lake boasts of being one of the United States "newest" lakes. Just a year after the eruption, the abundant snow melt and rainfall filled in this beautiful new recreational area.

During our two mile hike along the lake's shoreline, we were greeted by delicate wildflowers, colorful autumn leaves, and magnificent views of the surrounding peaks.

Because Coldwater Lake is located in the middle of national monument land, the surrounding forests are found in a more "natural" state. During our hike, we passed stumps of trees that were snapped in half by the violent eruption and are supporting the new forest growth that sprouts from them.

In the lake, massive tree stumps stand as silent reminders that nature is always in a state of change.

That night we were able to boondock next to the Forest Learning Center and enjoy views of the river valley and the colorful hues of the setting sun as it illuminated the currently quiet, but still very much active Mount St Helens.

Our first outing went well, and we are grateful that Baby Beest's new superpowers allow us to continue to travel, discover, and enjoy the beauty that the earth's volcanic "superpowers" continue to create.

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