Spirit Lake Area Hiking

This is a forum for trip reports that pre-date the Portland Hikers forum, trail photos from pre-digital era, or any other discussions that focus on trail history.
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oldandslow
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Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by oldandslow » August 27th, 2012, 3:08 pm

A little over 60 years ago, when I was in high school, I hiked to Panhandle Lake with two friends. We hiked along Spirit Lake and over Bear Pass. Some photos of the hike have survived.
Harmony Falls.jpg
We crossed Harmony Falls about two miles into the hike.
Mtn lake.jpg
From the end of Spirit Lake, there was a nice view of Mt. St. Helens.
Sweden Mine.jpg
Not far from the lake we passed the Sweden Mine. The site of the mine is now below the surface of Spirit Lake.
Mtn  Norway Pass.jpg
There was another good view of Mt. St. Helens from Norway Pass.
Mtn  Norway Pass.jpg
I did a lot of hiking around Spirit Lake and I really miss the beautiful area that it was.

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hlee
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by hlee » August 27th, 2012, 3:43 pm

*sigh* Those photos look so idyllic. Thanks for posting them!

It's sad to think of what was lost, but what remains is still a fascinating, unique area to explore.

Hannah

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
-- T.S. Eliot

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retired jerry
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by retired jerry » August 27th, 2012, 3:44 pm

Wow! Thanks for the pictures.

I spent a summer and the Boy Scout Camp and did the hike up through Norway Pass, around Mt Margaret, back to the other end of the lake. 1971

I wonder when Mt St Helens will look like that again?

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weathercrazy
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by weathercrazy » August 27th, 2012, 8:16 pm

I love these type of old pics...they way it used to be.

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IDratherbehiking
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by IDratherbehiking » August 28th, 2012, 9:24 am

Thank you for sharing these great photos, oldandslow!

Welcome to the site.

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Peder
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by Peder » October 1st, 2012, 9:57 pm

I love the old pictures and adjusted a newer picture:
DSC01272d.jpg
Mt St Helens (sort of)
It is hard to tell when comparing the pre-1980 picture and the recent picture, that Spirit Lake moved north and that its surface is now 60 meters higher than pre-eruption. If anything, it looks to me as if the lake moved closer to Mt St Helens.
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Dustin DuBois
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by Dustin DuBois » October 2nd, 2012, 6:46 am

Peder wrote:It is hard to tell when comparing the pre-1980 picture and the recent picture, that Spirit Lake moved north and that its surface is now 60 meters higher than pre-eruption. If anything, it looks to me as if the lake moved closer to Mt St Helens.
I agree, it does look closer. There are those two knuckles of land in front of the mountain. In the old pic, they're both behind the lake. In the new pic, the lake is around the front knuckle and up against the back knuckle.
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Splintercat
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by Splintercat » October 2nd, 2012, 7:04 am

You've got a good eye, Dustin!

I miss the old Spirit Lake, too. I don't spend much time up there, now... still sad about what was lost, though glad I lived to see a major Cascade eruption with my own eyes.

Imagine the top 1/3 of Mount Hood blown off, obliterating Elk Cove, Cairn Basin, McNeil Point and even Barrett Spur, and leaving a gaping lateral crater as the backdrop to a completely altered Lost Lake, where the trees have been erased and everything is covered in ten feet of ash and pumice... and that's what it's like to lose Spirit Lake.

(though in reality, Hood is unlikely to have that kind of eruption... and the south side is most likely where the force of the blast would go... geo-nerd footnote...)

Nice pics - expecially of Harmony Falls! Thanks for posting.

Tom

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oldandslow
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by oldandslow » October 12th, 2012, 1:31 pm

This is sort of like the guy on the TV infomercial who has offered his product and all sorts of accessories at an incredibly low price and then says, "Wait there's more." There is more.
In July 1979 my three kids and I hiked the Mt. Margaret loop. By the time we got to Mt. Margaret, the youngest was really dragging so we stopped and set up camp. We got water from a snow melt and enjoyed one of our most scenic camp spots, little suspecting that by the next summer it all would be dramaticly different.
MM-Loop-pano.jpg
Mt-Margaret.jpg

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hlee
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Re: Spirit Lake Area Hiking

Post by hlee » October 12th, 2012, 2:38 pm

Thanks so much for posting those. So beautiful. And still is, just in a dramatically different way.

Hannah

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.
-- T.S. Eliot

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