Toutle

Yes, the name of the town is Toutle.  I have said goodbye to Bryan and TeAntae at the airport the night before and now I am on my own with the WIN group.  The first stop for five days is Toutle, Washington, which is a town at the foot of Mt. St. Helens. The high school has graciously let us camp there for only $5 a night.

After morning hugs the first morning, most of us went to Johnston Ridge Observatory to go to the visitors center and hike up the ridge to get a closer look at the crater.

It was very foggy when we started out so we were all afraid that it would not lift for us to see the mountain.

Thankfully it did!

We had a beautiful view of the lava dome and growing glacier from the visitors center overlooking the crater and learn how the landscape was reshaped by the 1980 eruption.  However, most of us wanted to get closer so we hiked two miles in.

The first vegetation to come up after the eruption was the Lupine.

Gene, our fearless leader.

This was a wonderful day and I was so happy I went.  This was my first hike. I really enjoyed it so I want to get some trekking poles of my own. This mono-pole was borrowed from another member.

On our way back, Gene, stopped so I could take a photo with Bigfoot. My friend Laura is always joking about me running into Bigfoot out here. So this is for her!