Hiking Mt St Helens

Zack and Andy start back at the college on Monday, so I arranged for one more field trip before they can’t go anymore… We had a few friends tag along, too! Makes the day even more fun!

First we stopped at the 7 Wonders Creation Museum to learn about how the eruption of Mt St Helens help to support the fact that the earth did not need millions of years to develop. If you ever get the chance to go, do it!

Then we headed up the mountain to have lunch at Coldwater Lake and then hike the Boundary Trail out to Devil’s Elbow. About halfway up the mountain we could see smoke coming in from over the hills. It gave everything an eerie hue and somewhat hampered our view of the mountain.

But it was still gorgeous and just one more proof of God’s powerful and creative nature!

Coldwater Lake

Mt St Helens and the valley below

the trail to Devil’s Elbow is rather narrow and has a pretty steep fall

 

The Devil’s Elbow

the view of Spirit Lake from the Devil’s Elbow

Johnston Ridge Observatory from the trail

the smoke coming in from over the hills

Youth Group River Trip

We took the youth group on one more outing before school started. We chose to spend the afternoon/evening at Willow Grove.

We did some swimming, some skim boarding, boat riding, tubing, water balloon launching and hot dog roasting. They all added up to a very fun day!

For some of the kids it was their first time in a ski boat and for most it was their first time tubing. The weather and the river conditions made for some exciting and fun first experiences!

skim boarding

 

log riding

heading out to go tubing

Hobo did very well for his first time

So did Tia and Lyndsey!

 Launching water balloons with a giant sling shot was another favorite activity!

those suckers go far!

they make cute little craters

 

We also got to see a blue moon

Hiking the Gorge

While camping down in Portland, Theresa, William and I all went hiking in the Gorge. Theresa even took us there in Florence (her 1965 Rambler). The old highway is so beautiful and it made me wish we had all day to stop and see it all!

Sometimes it’s fun to play tourist in your own backyard!

First stop… Vista House. The new renovations are gorgeous! Totally worth the time!

  Multnomah Falls was pretty crowded on such a nice summer day! We decided to hike up to the top… Two old ladies can’t keep up with a 15 year old, so we didn’t even try. He met us there… ;o)  I didn’t feel so bad coming down when I saw all those people huffing and puffing up the hill. It’s nice not to be the only one.

a lot of people throw money, and garbage, into the falls :o(

  

looking down from the top

  

On the way to the next falls, we stopped at this tunnel and Will did a bit of rock climbing and cave exploring…

After the hike up Multnomah Falls we weren’t sure about hiking Horsetail. I am so glad we did! It was way better!!!

Horsetail Falls

       

view from the trail

Upper Horsetail Falls (Ponytail Falls)

  

These falls are not only less crowded and easier on the legs, but you can walk behind it and swim in the pool below!

On the way home we hit one more viewpoint…

Last stop??? A super Italian restaurant in Troutdale! We were starving!!!