On Johnston Ridge in Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument the sunset glow of August turns the hills and ridges of the blast zone an amber hue in the waning hours of a summers day. Indian Paintbrush and Lupine still grace the rolling crest of the ridge and shine with a glorious inner light. The distant crater looms over the young meadows, grown to a splendid glory since that fateful day in 1984.
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| Snout of the Toutle Glacier, one of the few glaciers still growing larger thanks to its unique location inside of the towering walls of the crater. This eternal shade combines with insulating debri that tumbles down from the peaks above. |
I had to throw this photo in, not because it's particularly good, but because it's my first time seeing a Bobcat in the wild! They are one of those creatures that is actually fairly common, but has a secretive life that keeps it away from prying human eyes.
