Continuing on my trip with my friend Nick, we had planned to drive from Portland to the Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument this morning to do some hiking and see the blown out mountain. As a child, I remember my second grade teacher wheeling in a television on a cart and letting our classroom watch the devastation of the 1980 eruption. I've always been curious to see this landscape in person.
Unfortunately, there are a number of road and area closures. The information available online does not match what we encounter when we try to explore the area and barrier across our planned route forces us to change plans. Many times these kind of trips are like this and we just roll with the punches, but it would be nice if the Forest Service would get their information straight.
Heading back the way we came, we encounter a sign for Iron Creek Falls and decide to check it out. A short downhill hike of no more than a quarter-mile leads us to a fantastic waterfall that has carved it's way through solid rock and now expels a huge amount of water into the creek below. I'd estimate the height of the waterfall to be roughly forty feet, but it's difficult to judge as we aren't able to get very close to it. It is a very picturesque waterfall though.
After exploring down the creek just a little bit, we head back to the car and start to discuss our options. We want to get some miles in today, but the closures are going to put a damper on some of that.
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