Mt St Helens To Open?

[+Belleterre]

With there being cell phone coverage up there, some group should plan ahead and have their picture captured while they are on the rim from the Johnston Ridge Observatory Webcam.

 

I had the same idea before my climb. Even thought about bringing my hot pink sarong to show up better. But then I thought about it being 5 miles away (I think) and decided the odds of anything showing were pretty slim. So, aside from that - I was obviously looking at a webcam shot before hiking was allowed, so no-one was on top. Do people actually show on that webcam now?

[+EraSeek]

The webcam doesn't look to be at all clear enough to see them.

[+PastorDIC]

With there being cell phone coverage up there, some group should plan ahead and have their picture captured while they are on the rim from the Johnston Ridge Observatory Webcam.

 

I had the same idea before my climb. Even thought about bringing my hot pink sarong to show up better. But then I thought about it being 5 miles away (I think) and decided the odds of anything showing were pretty slim. So, aside from that - I was obviously looking at a webcam shot before hiking was allowed, so no-one was on top. Do people actually show on that webcam now?

 

Isn't that like the saying "If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, will it make a sound?"

 

Maybe someone has to try it to see if it can be done. Either that or find a real math wiz that can calculate based on color, distance, and air clarity how big one would have to be and what color someone would have to wear to be seen on the volcanocam.

Russ

[+pdxmarathonman]

With there being cell phone coverage up there,

A heads up on the cell coverage: It seems that the Cingular tower on the north side of Lake Merwin is within range but that a few other service providers' towers are out of range. The climbers with the fancy phones and the wrong provider had to borrow my old Nokia pay-as-you-go phone that has AT&T stenciled on the front in order to connect.

 

What was that artist's name that stretched colorful fabric in various public placed. Maybe Nolenator can haul a few dozen yards of some bright fabric for the group to stretch out across the south rim

Edited August 3, 2006 by pdxmarathonman

[+PastorDIC]

What was that artist's name that stretched colorful fabric in various public placed. Maybe Nolenator can haul a few dozen yards of some bright fabric for the group to stretch out across the south rim

 

That would be Christo.

 

http://christojeanneclaude.net/sharedMedia...Curtain/vc1.jpg

 

[nolenator]

Do you see how small those folks on the bottom are? Peace, Nolenator

[+pdxmarathonman]

Just curious whether anyone has been able to identify the Johnston Ridge Observatory from the rim?

 

It hasn't been cloudless on my 2 climbs, but on the first climb I would have expected to be able to spot it, but couldn't. Maybe I just wasn't looking in the right direction.

[+blindleader]

 

That would be Christo.

 

http://christojeanneclaude.net/sharedMedia...Curtain/vc1.jpg

 

It seems they were pioneering camouflaged cache containers back in the fifties.

[+Belleterre]

Just curious whether anyone has been able to identify the Johnston Ridge Observatory from the rim?

 

It hasn't been cloudless on my 2 climbs, but on the first climb I would have expected to be able to spot it, but couldn't. Maybe I just wasn't looking in the right direction.

 

I looked hard for it too, but didn't see anything. Mainly I was looking for a sun glint off a windshield, but didn't see any. The cars and one outhouse at Climber's Bivouac were clearly visible from up high, though.

[+EraSeek]

Here's a pretty good graphic of how much of the mountain was lost from the eruption ( the colored part) in 3 slide blocks. From nearly 10,000' down to just over 8,000'.

[MarcusArelius]

Here's a pretty good graphic of how much of the mountain was lost from the eruption ( the colored part) in 3 slide blocks. From nearly 10,000' down to just over 8,000'.

 

That just means we'll get to the top sooner 9 days and counting. We had one subsitution Cacheahead will be taking Runhills spot. Everyone ready??

 

Me and my daugther

Hydnsek

Og's and son

Eraseek

evergreenhiker!

CacheAhead

AndrewRJ

Square Bear

Nolenator

[+EraSeek]

Yup.

[+Og's outfit]

Ready here. My right knee is sore, though. I think I'm trying too hard to prepare. I'm going to take it easy from now on.

[nolenator]

So I guess I will be bringing up the rear since my name is on the bottom. Peace, Nolenator

Edited August 12, 2006 by nolenator

[+EraSeek]

Ready here. My right knee is sore, though. I think I'm trying too hard to prepare. I'm going to take it easy from now on.

Fact is I'm due for a new knee. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Usually works best going up, but not so good on the flats.

[+Og's outfit]

 

Fact is I'm due for a new knee. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Usually works best going up, but not so good on the flats.

This is a new pain for me, and I'm hoping it goes away real soon. I'm not going to bag on this trip!

[+EraSeek]

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details. So what's the plan? I work on friday till about 6pm. I would love to carpool with someone as how someday I'll get a trustworthy car (but got a kid in college right now). If not, it'll probably make it and I do have a fire extinguisher in my back seat. I could handle going down either late friday, or very early on saturday. Hopefully we are planning to have an early trail start. I'll bring my walker

 

What is the current idea on meeting? Do we all need to do something other than just sign the register at jacks if even that? Is one person holding all the permits or do we need to pick them up ourselves. (sorry if I wasn't listening up to this point.)

[+GO West]

Visitors to the area might want to make a side trip to Eagle's Cliff - an easy drive up FR90 (paved), a fun short hike and great view. Also a jeep as of this log.

[+klossner]

Visitors to the area might want to make a side trip to Eagle's Cliff - an easy drive up FR90 (paved), a fun short hike and great view.

You're suggesting a casual 500-foot elevation gain hike after climbing Mt St Helens? When I get off that mountain, it's all I can do just to work the pedals in the car on the way home.

[MarcusArelius]

Visitors to the area might want to make a side trip to Eagle's Cliff - an easy drive up FR90 (paved), a fun short hike and great view.

You're suggesting a casual 500-foot elevation gain hike after climbing Mt St Helens? When I get off that mountain, it's all I can do just to work the pedals in the car on the way home.

 

I think he was suggesting a warm up hike for the day before

[+The Jester]

Visitors to the area might want to make a side trip to Eagle's Cliff - an easy drive up FR90 (paved), a fun short hike and great view.

You're suggesting a casual 500-foot elevation gain hike after climbing Mt St Helens? When I get off that mountain, it's all I can do just to work the pedals in the car on the way home.

 

I think he was suggesting a warm up hike for the day before

Or a cool down the day after

[+EraSeek]

Saturday. Mostly sunny. 84 degrees. Freezing level 13000'.

Friday night low 59.

[+pdxmarathonman]

Saturday. Mostly sunny. 84 degrees. Freezing level 13000'.

Friday night low 59.

Visibility should be awesome!

[+EraSeek]

What a day! You should have seen the butterfies!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LU...75-478d895741b2

[+EraSeek]

A little comparison:

Sept 2003 photo by Evergreenhiker!:

 

Aug 2006 photo by EraSeek:

Edited August 21, 2006 by EraSeek

[+evergreenhiker!]

Thanks for posting that comparison! I was going to look through my old log photos for '03. Boy it's sure's changed!!! Awesome climb up with you all!

[+pdxmarathonman]

There has been some change in the last 3 weeks. Look at the difference in the spacing of the fin and the smaller piece that has broken away comparing this photo to Eraseek's new photo).

 

[+evergreenhiker!]

There has been some change in the last 3 weeks. Look at the difference in the spacing of the fin and the smaller piece that has broken away comparing this photo to Eraseek's new photo).

 

Whoah, man! That's cool!!!

[+EraSeek]

I think "the Fin" is the better name than The Tooth like we were using.

 

The following link will take you to a page showing the Fin's growth. Click on the thumbnail of the Aug 14? movie from the "Brutus" camera. It will give you a movie from aug2 to aug14. Shows the growth nicely!

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/MSH/Im.../framework.html

[+evergreenhiker!]

Cool link, Jim!

Edited August 23, 2006 by evergreenhiker!

[+PastorDIC]

Too bad none of you have combined your track log with Google Earth. Centering it on the cache and then rotating it 90 degrees to get the mountain as toy see it is pretty interesting. See this screenshot. It would be even more interesting with this rotation and your track log.

 

Google Earth Mt St Helens in rotation

[+pdxmarathonman]

The local newspaper (The Oregonian) ran a story today about the huge population of orange butterflies on/around Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson. No mention of Mt St Helens (wrong state I suppose)

[+EraSeek]

Thanks. Here's the link: http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf...ctop&coll=7

 

Also from a 2000 report from UC Davis:

The California tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) is about half the size of a monarch butterfly. Like the monarch, it is orange and black on its upper surface; unlike the monarch, it is wood-brown below.

 

Most tortoiseshell butterflies migrate in spring from California's Coast Range and Sierra foothills, where they overwinter, to breeding grounds in the Sierra. By mid- to late July, grandchildren of the winter adults are emerging from pupae at around 7,000 feet and heading for the very high country, above the tree line.

 

"In an outbreak year, millions of these butterflies will head for the mountaintops at once,"

Edited August 25, 2006 by EraSeek

[+klossner]

The local newspaper (The Oregonian) ran a story today about the huge population of orange butterflies on/around Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson.

They were all over South Sister last weekend, too. I've never seen anything like it. If they had a taste for human blood, we would have been in big trouble.

[+AndrewRJ]

Thanks. Here's the link: http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf...ctop&coll=7

 

Also from a 2000 report from UC Davis:

The California tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica) is about half the size of a monarch butterfly. Like the monarch, it is orange and black on its upper surface; unlike the monarch, it is wood-brown below.

 

Most tortoiseshell butterflies migrate in spring from California's Coast Range and Sierra foothills, where they overwinter, to breeding grounds in the Sierra. By mid- to late July, grandchildren of the winter adults are emerging from pupae at around 7,000 feet and heading for the very high country, above the tree line.

 

"In an outbreak year, millions of these butterflies will head for the mountaintops at once,"

That is really cool, I am so glad I was there to see it.

[+pdxmarathonman]

I saw exactly 1 of these butterlies in my backyard today. I waited and waited for the thousands more to come..... I felt a little like Linus (Charlie Brown's friend).

[+EraSeek]

An interesting view:

[+EraSeek]

looked at the cam. She's smokin today.

 

And some activity:

 

2.2 2006/10/01 05:52:26 46.196N 122.187W 0.0 1 km ( 0 mi) SW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

3.1 2006/10/01 05:46:39 46.199N 122.190W 0.0 1 km ( 0 mi) W of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

1.3 2006/10/01 04:33:16 46.196N 122.196W 1.1 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

2.3 2006/10/01 04:25:38 46.195N 122.195W 0.2 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

3.2 2006/10/01 00:04:00 46.194N 122.198W 0.0 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

[+pdxmarathonman]

looked at the cam. She's smokin today.

 

And some activity:

 

2.2 2006/10/01 05:52:26 46.196N 122.187W 0.0 1 km ( 0 mi) SW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

3.1 2006/10/01 05:46:39 46.199N 122.190W 0.0 1 km ( 0 mi) W of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

1.3 2006/10/01 04:33:16 46.196N 122.196W 1.1 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

2.3 2006/10/01 04:25:38 46.195N 122.195W 0.2 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

3.2 2006/10/01 00:04:00 46.194N 122.198W 0.0 1 km ( 1 mi) WSW of Mount St. Helens Volcano, WA

Is this an increase in recent activity? It's kinda funny that just this weekend there was a story about how the mountain's dome-building activity is tapering off a bit and that there hasn't been much seismic activity!

[+EraSeek]

Yes. I heard that too, but yesterday it still had some kick in it. It was smokin good. Here is the data:

http://www.pnsn.org/recenteqs/Maps/Mount_St._Helens_eqs.htm

[+pdxmarathonman]

The dome collapsed today around 3:00. A significant plume shot up as a result. I wonder if any hikers were on the rim at the time. It was a gorgeous day, I bet there were still people up there!!

[+EraSeek]

No new photos yet, but look at the growth rings at lower left (oct 10):

 

A close up:

Edited October 22, 2006 by EraSeek