St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Discussions and Trip Reports for off-trail adventures and rediscovering lost trails
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retired jerry
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Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by retired jerry » November 3rd, 2018, 5:30 am

oh no, they moved Windy Pass too. It used to be at about 4800 feet, next to "Alpine Butte". That pass is still there but they removed it's name.

The new Windy Pass is at 4000 feet. About 3 miles away by trail.
0C2G.jpg

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kepPNW
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Location: Salmon Creek

Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by kepPNW » November 3rd, 2018, 5:31 am

retired jerry wrote:
November 3rd, 2018, 5:20 am
it appears that the old Timberline campground was not part of the blast zone, I wonder if there's anything there? It could be covered with ash... 4300 feet elevation, about 3/4 mile from Windy Pass, between N and NW.
Oh yes, definitely in the blastzone, and no signs whatsoever of what once was in that area, either...

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Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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retired jerry
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Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by retired jerry » November 3rd, 2018, 5:52 am

If you go down from the old Windy Pass, on that trail, in a NNW direction, to about 4560 - it seems the same pre and post eruption.

Then, continuing on, there are those less steep contours 4520, 4480, 4440, and 4400 - those look about the same pre and post. Then, the 4360 contour pokes to the north about the same pre and post - that's where the old end of the road viewpoint, campground, and beginning of the Dog's Head climbing route. Probably covered with many feet of ash but it looks about the same at the 40 foot elevation level of resolution.

The part that was actually blasted out starts at about 6000 feet. Below that it got covered with the material that got blasted out.

I was up there several times pre eruption but have no memory. I'll have to check that out some time. 3 miles from Windy Pass mostly on trail.

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oldandslow
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Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by oldandslow » November 4th, 2018, 11:22 am

This is a picture that I took from the top of Mt. Margaret. Looks a lot like a sugar bowl to the right of the Dog,s Head.
St Helens from Mt. Margaret.jpg

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oldandslow
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Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by oldandslow » November 4th, 2018, 3:20 pm

Another photo that I took around 1950.
Spirit alake rev.jpg

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Chip Down
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Re: St Helens: Searching for Sugar Bowl

Post by Chip Down » November 11th, 2018, 6:44 pm

Hey oldandslow, I've seen pre-1980 pics many times, and found them interesting, but a couple things struck me recently:

1. Sugar Bowl was a really well-defined feature before. I guess I assumed it would have been swallowed up in the majesty of the mountain, but if anything I think the opposite might be true: The graceful symmetry of the old MSH made SB stand out as an anomaly, whereas in the modern era it's just one more lump on a chaotic fractured volcano.

2. Amazing that there used to be a plowed road almost all the way to SB!

Your second pic, which I just noticed today, proves how apt your screen name is! :D
retired jerry wrote:
November 3rd, 2018, 5:30 am
oh no, they moved Windy Pass too
I know what you mean, but it sounds funny phrased that way :lol:

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