Mount St. Helens

The drive to Paradise gives us more great views of the nearly 14,400-foot Mt. Rainier. The lodge reminds us of the hotel in "The Shining." The Reflection Lake also shows us the beautiful sides of the mountain.

Then it's time for a reconciliation conversation and we find ourselves again.

Lunch is in Randle, where we turn onto a winter-closed road to reach Mount St. Helens. The volcano, which erupted in 1980 and claimed 57 lives, is still powerful even without its exploded summit, and the thousands of trees blown into Spirit Lake by the explosion are very impressive. In addition, the views of Mt Hood, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams are magnificent! We find a campground for $15 and have a nice evening cooking and reading.