Day 2 - Mt. St. Helens - Saturday

This morning our deluxe Columbia Queen motorcoaches transport you in comfort and style to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. You’ll visit interpretive centers to witness the devastation of the volcano that erupted in 1980 with the force of 400 million tons of TNT. Enjoy lunch at a prominent visitor’s center that features spectacular views of the mountain. From this rugged setting, journey to the Columbia Queen and embark for a late afternoon cruise through Oregon’s lush Willamette River Valley, followed by dinner and entertainment on board.

Daily tour background descriptions:

Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
On May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m., Mount St. Helens erupted violently. An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 triggered one of the world's largest recorded landslides. During this avalanche, more than 1,300 feet of the mountain's top cascaded into the Toutle River Valley below. The massive landslide released a powerful, laterally directed blast, destroying 150,000 square acres of forest and every living thing above ground. Mudflows caused by melting snow and ice mixed with ash and trees that choked the Toutle, Cowlitz and Columbia rivers. When it was over, 57 people had perished and the area resembled a moonscape. Nearly two decades later, the land blooms once again. Fish swim in the rivers and lakes. Wildflowers again bend to mountain breezes. Elk and deer abound in the hills. Thanks to the planning and cooperative efforts of the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Weyerhaeuser and many private organizations, the story of this fateful eruption will be remembered and told.

Hoffstadt Bluffs
Guests will enjoy lunch inside the center, with a wonderful view of Mt. St. Helens. Around Hoffstadt Bluffs, guests can watch glass blowing, shop in the world’s largest Mt. St. Helens gift shop, spot wildlife, and take in spectacular views of the Toutle River mud flows. Guests may choose an optional helicopter tour, which takes guests on the trip of a lifetime to the center of the crater.

Coldwater Ridge
Coldwater Ridge Visitor Center, located 43 miles east of Castle Rock within the National Volcanic Monument, invites visitors to discover the fascinating ways that plants and animals have reappeared throughout the blast zone. Visitors to Coldwater enjoy panoramic view of the volcano, the newly formed lakes, and the debris-filled Toutle River Valley. Interactive exhibits with an ecological focus, the paved, 0.25 mile Winds of Change Interpretive Trail, and live interpretive programs offer insights into the many ways life emerged from the ashes of the 1980 eruption. Services include a staffed information desk, a video wall theater program, a gift shop, a Northwest Interpretive Association book sales area and a restaurant. Discover the plants and animals that are returning and thriving at Mount St. Helens and uncover the secrets of their survival.

Optional Tours Helicopter Tours to Mt. St. Helens crater: This is a 40 Mile round trip tour of Mount St. Helens in a Bell Jet Ranger, operated by Hillsboro Aviation, including flying over the Volcano Mudflow, passing over the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Elk Preserve with elk in view below, seeing the Ghost Forests, Coldwater Lake, Castle Lake, Spirit Lake, Mount Rainier and Mount Adams in the distance, and straight up to the Crater. The craft hovers at the crater entrance within 600 feet of the lava dome providing a glimpse of America's youngest glacier forming behind the dome. The crater walls rise on both sides of you in front of the craft providing a spectacular view. Cruising back down over the devastation, the Mountain flanks remain much the same as they were in the years right after the eruption as one is reminded of Jimmy Carter's words "compared to this, the moon looks like a golf course". The craft returns to Hoffstadt Bluffs on a different path, providing additional views of the volcano-scape and elk herds. Total trip time is approximately 30 minutes including loading and unloading. Actual airborne time is 22-26 minutes depending on route, craft, and wind conditions. Horseback Riding to Toutle River: Guests can enjoy a one or two hour horseback tour in the Toutle River region, viewing beaver ponds, old homesteads, apple orchards, and logging areas. Along the way, a buried house is visible beneath the mudflows, and riders get the sense that there used to be a quiet community here.