MT. ST. HELENS & THE ECOSYSTEM
FULL DAY TOUR

Tour Length: 12 Hours
Tour Code: EV02
Pick-Up: City Hotels / Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66
Departing: 7:30am
Returns: 7:30pm
Activities: Hiking, wildlife viewing, geology, educational sightseeing
Difficulty: Easy
Carbon Footprint:
Cost: $175 per person
Season: May to October (weather dependent)
Departures: Every Thursday 22 May - 1 October 2008
Min No of Passengers:


Inclusions:
Hotel pick up and drop off, highly qualified and knowledgeable naturalist guide, travel in luxury air - conditioned vehicles, home made morning and afternoon tea, sumptuous lunch or picnic, selected Washington wines and refreshments, all park entry fees and comprehensive commentary.

Description: 
Beginning amongst the historical Pioneer Square and waterfront area of old Seattle you will learn of the convergence of the early settlers and Native Americans of over 150 years ago, the Great Seattle Fire of 1889 and the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897. As we make our way out of the city, you will have the opportunity to take in the history of the Space Needle, Smith Tower and other famous sites, including the celebrated Pike Place Market.  We then head south passing by the World Headquarters for Boeing, Starbucks and Amazon.com!

It is here we leave the ‘average’ Seattle tourist behind and experience what makes the city so special to the locals.  You will unlock a piece of Washington you would never have known existed. Go from a bustling city to wilderness adventures just around the corner. 

As we travel along the Puget Sound, we pass by the city of Tacoma and our State Capital of Olympia, stopping only for a scrumptious morning tea.  Next, we arrive at Wolf Haven Sanctuary and Conservation Center and take a privately guided 45 minute tour that covers a variety of educational information on wolves; wolf biology and ecology; and recovery programs and conservation. Including, inspiring Information on Wolf Haven's work for wolf conservation, as well as background information on sanctuary residents provided by knowledgeable volunteer tour guides.

We now make our way to the main attraction, Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, which in 1982, the President and Congress created the 111,000-acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation and education. Taking photos along the way, we get out and stretch our legs a bit on the Hummocks Trail, the largest landslide in recorded human history, in Coldwater Lake Recreation Area to see first hand how the environment was left to respond naturally to the eruption at 8:32 Sunday morning, May 18, 1980.

Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown down or buried beneath volcanic deposits. At the same time a mushroom-shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington and beyond. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed within moments.

Located at the end of the road and 52 miles east of Castle Rock, in the heart of the blast zone we get within 5 miles of the crater at the Johnston Ridge Observatory taking in stunning views into the steaming volcano.   Forest Interpreters share the magic of the geological events surrounding the 1980 eruption through a variety of formal talks and guided walks. Experience how volcanoes are monitored and discover how Mount St. Helens has taught us new answers to old mysteries. The Center's state-of-the-art interpretive displays and theater magically portray the sequence of geologic events that transformed the landscape and opened up a new era in the science of monitoring an active volcano and forecasting eruptions. Read amazing eyewitness accounts from eruption survivors.  We embark on short walk on the Eruption Trail and learn how the eruption shaped the surrounding landscape. You can expect to see views of the lava dome, crater, pumice plain, and the landslide deposit.

After a long day in the shadow of an active volcano we climb back into the Jeep or Van for the relaxing drive back to the Emerald City, enjoying a late afternoon nibble to hold you over until your return!

This tour can be customized as a private tour, call or email for a quote.