Having lived in Oregon for much of my life, and having experienced the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 (albeit as a freshman in high school!), I am a bit chagrined to admit that I have never visited the mountain. Researching places to photograph the mountain, I came across Lahar Viewpoint in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The viewpoint was interesting and I did get some pictures there, but the forest is returning to the area, making clear views of the mountain a challenge. Just up the road (Forest Road 83) perhaps 1/4 mile from the viewpoint is a bridge over what must have been the path of the mudflow (“lahar”) from the volcano, which is now a small stream. Fortunately, the bridge has a sidewalk, offering a safe place to setup the tripod for some of the clearest views of the south side of Mount St. Helens. This photograph is not from that spot, although I did take some good ones from the bridge! I stumbled on the location of this photograph on my way home, on a spur road off of another forest road – where I ran into a locked gate, and had to double back towards the main Forest Road 83. While doubling back, I took several side roads to see if they might get me around the locked area, but no luck. On one of those roads, however, I came upon this stunning view of the mountain. Sometimes it is better to be lucky, I guess!