Day 2: Mount Saint Helens
We start the day with a good breakfast and are on our way to the south side of Mount Saint Helens. It does not take long until we see our first clear cut up close.  Time for pictures and a few  lessons on plant identification, erosion and pumice.
Breakfast at our camp at Iron Creek  
clearcut and view of Mt. Rainier so, where are we?
Clearcut slope and Mt. Rainier A first look at Forest Service maps Looking for trouble at the ranger station
Ape cave Ape Cave We explore Ape Cave, a lava tube, in the light of our headlamps.  Martin likes it so much that he leaves his notebook all the way at the end of the tube - just as an excuse to go all the way back one more time.
We drive all the way to the Lahar on the south side of the mountain to have lunch and a geology break.
In the lava tube of Ape Cave
lecture at Lahar Mt. Saint Helens and Lahar flow
Prof. Geiss tells us about Lahars and their danger to the folks who live down valley. The Lahar on the South side of the volcano
Clearwater Valley Matrin at Clearwater valley Driving back around the mountain takes time, but all the windy roads are forgotten when we stand on Windy Ridge overlooking Spirit Lake, the Blast zone and the North side of the volcano. Prof. Morrison is volunteered to drive the van to the next parking lot, so the rest of us can go on a hike high above the shores of Spirit lake.
Dead trees and re-growth at Clearwater Valley Martin looking at the blown down trees.
at Windy Ridge at Windy Ridge students hiking
Checking out the breeze on Windy Ridge A little rest after climbing umpteen hundred steps up to the top Hiking high above the shores of Spirit Lake
chef Jeff dinner at iron creek campfire lecture
Chef Jeff fixing dinner Dinner is served Mark gives his campfire lecture.
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