The day after my hikes in the Gorge, I drove over to Mt Saint Helens to stretch my legs and check out the snow levels there. I drove up to the new visitors center at Johnson Ridge (new to me, it wasn't finished yet the last time I visited the volcano) and checked it out. You need a monument pass to go in the visitors center or to walk on the trail there. You can get a pass for $8.00 or free if you have a NW Forest Pass or National Parks Pass. After checking out the new visitors center I drove down to the Hummocks Loop Trail and hiked around it. I had always wanted to hike around the Hummocks and check them out. They are basically big chunks of mountain that came down in the big lahar (landslide) that occurred in the May 18th 1980 eruption. Big chunks of glacier also came to rest here creating little ponds amidst the big piles of debris. It was very interesting to see how much growth has occurred in the last 29 years. The trail was in shade for much of the hike and there was even a beaver dam on one of the ponds. After hiking the 2.4 mile Hummocks Trail, I headed over to Coldwater Lake and walked the Birth of a Lake Trail. I can't say it was too exciting but it was kind of pretty in its own Mount Saint Helens kind of way.
