Washington - Aug. 14. 2011 to Aug. ....

We took Hwy 30 to Longview and here we crossed the Columbia to enter Washington - a high and adventures crossing.

To Mt. St. Helen the route is not very interesting. And all 4 visitor centers are just very interesting.

We took Hwy 504 to the northwest entrance. The visitor center just behind I-5 has fantastic informations about the mountain and the catastrophic eruption in 1980. Especially the movie is great.

We drove Hwy 504 to the end - to the „Johnston Ridge Observatory“. And also here we saw an impressive movie about this very active and dangerous volcano. We made a nice hike and were stunned about the thousands of wild flowers, the view and what es quite rare the sunshine.

The peak is today around 2.600 m (8.328 feet) and the mountain lost 400 m during the May 18. 1980 eruption. The complete top part has broken away and speeded down the valley along with hot ash and lava devastating the whole area. Deep gorges were completetely filled, landscape changed and 600 sqkm forest vanished, 57 people and millions of animals died. 

The last 30 years the eruption crater started growing again and today you can see insight the crater a huge bulge - „volcanos eye“ - a clear sign that this volcano is alive and still very dangerous. The next eruption is expected.

The huge neighbor - „Mt. Rainier“ is nearly 4.500 m (14.122 feet) high and is the highest mountain of the „Cascade Range“ and one of the mightiest volcanos of the world. About 2.000 years ago it was very active with continous eruptions. The last one was around 100 years ago and many small earth quakes show his liveliness and it is called the most dangerous volcano of USA - unpredictable.

We stood overnight at the „White River Campground“ at the east of the National Park.

We hiked from here along the White River to the „Glacier Basin“. This is the base camp for the climbers (to the top) and is the snow and tree border.

When we arrived the whole mountain was covered in clouds (as usual) but during our hike the sky cleared up and we had a dreaming view. What makes it so unique is the difference in height. You are at the highest at 2.000 m and this massive mountain is still 2.500 higher and right in front of you. And from the I-5 valley (which is quite near) the height difference is even more than 4.000 m. But this you can only see if the sun shines (and this is only 30 - 40 days a year). So we can happely say we turned from rain man to sun man.

Friends of our friends from Bend are leaving in Seattle. And Heike and Frank have invited us to stay in their garden. We parked our motorhome in front of their house and had a lovely evening together - thousand thanks Heike and Frank. They live in West - Seattle and from their balcony we saw the Puget Sound and the mountains of the Olympic Range - just wonderful. Next day Frank showed us a place to stay near the ferry landing just opposite down town Seattle and with view to Mt. Rainier.

Seattle is lovely and has something for everybody. We wandered around the whole day and we must say it is one the most beautiful city we saw. The pictures tell more than our words.

Phyl and Terry - our friends from Bend - invited us to Orcas to their holiday home directly on the beach. 

This northest island of Washington state is only around 50 km away from Vancouver / Canada and has 4.500 permanent residents (in summer the island is acommendating 25.000 people). The island has the form of a horse saddle and is around 60 km long.

We stood 4 days with Phyl and Terry and made a hiking tour at the „Moran State Park“, went up to Mount Constitution and saw beautiful lakes.

The town of „East Sound“ has everything you need and especially a vivid music live. At the famous „Rosario“ - a hotel & resort complex - which was built around 1900 by the ship building magnat „Moran“ we heard beautiful organ and piano music.

Besides we saw stunning sun sets (daily) and will not forget the crab dinner Terry prepared  - many thanks Phyl and Terry for this wonderful days.

The next weeks we travel together with Phyl and Terry. Via the „Cascade Range NP“ we will visit the „Glacier NP“ and than the „Yellowstone NP“.

From Anacortes we took Hwy 20 direction Galcier NP. It leads through the „North Cascade NP“. Unfortunately we didn´t see too much about it - too many clouds. We stood overnight in Rockport and next day we drove a long distance to „Priest River“ where we stood overnight at a nice campground of the „Corps of Engineers“. In Sandpoint / Idaho we decided spontanously to visit Canada.

Please continue reading our tour report under:

USA Part 3  /  "Canada"