Mount St. Helens

Mount Redoubt rumbles to the North while Mount St. Helens silently steams in the Northwest - Washington's sleeping beauty simmers under the winter snows awaiting the first signs of Spring when tourist will again flock to her slopes to view America's Volcano.

It's been 29 years since the Big Blast that flattened 200 square miles of timberland and sent ash plumes around the world - though it wasn't enough to scare the old codger Harry Truman away from his lodge at the base of the volcano. For those that can remember old Harry enjoyed his whiskey, his cats, and his long, lonely winters at the mountain. Now tourist businesses share the loneliness as they await the summer traffic - and it should be another exciting year as the three main visitor centers will be in full swing: Johnston Ridge Observatory, Forest Learning Center, and Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Seaquest.

The best way to enjoy the Volcano is to combine it with a sight-seeing trip to Mount Rainier just 90 minutes to the north.

Be sure to stop at the Forest learning Center ( free admission) and Johnston Ridge ( $8/person but worth it).