- Even before May 18, 1980 when Mt. St. Helens blew its top sky-high while vaporizing a vast area to its north, it was the smallest of Washington’s 5 volcanoes at 9677 ft (2950 m). The blast removed far more than that 1312 feet from the height of the mountain. It left a mere shell of what had been a beautifully symmetrical cone. The melting of several glaciers contributed to the massive floods. Sliding earth buried wonderful stands of virgin forest and recreational facilities and killed untold wildlife. A beautiful tree-lined lake was dammed to a higher level and filled with heat-stripped logs. Condensed rock vapor was carried on the wind to be deposited up to thousands of miles away. For seven years recreational climbing was banned on Mt. St. Helens. Then in May 1987 it was reopened. Only the south routes are still allowed. Access to the crater is strictly forbidden. On clear mornings I can see the mountain as I drive out of my neighborhood to work. That view is a constant reminder of the power of nature. I have always regretted that I had moved from Vancouver, WA to Juneau, AK only three months before the eruption. I returned two years after the eruption, but I missed out on all the excitement. When the mountain blew its top, a part of me went with it.
- Cascade Volcanoes (summitpost.org)
The Cascade Volcanos are some of the most sought after summits in the USA. The main reason being that many of them are solitary giants visible from metropolitan areas. But there are many other, lesser known and hidden peaks that await the intrepid climber. The singular grandeur, deep green forests, and stupendous amounts of snowfall make for a climbing experience that is unique to the world. There is one huge caveat to climbing the Cascade Volcanoes: the quality of the rock. Seldom is heard a climber raving about the high quality rock found, and nary a traveling climber wishes to visit this range to sample the ‘bullet’ ‘bombproof’ ‘solid’ stone. This page is organized from a climbers point of view, not that of a geologist. However, the geology affects the types of climbing found, so they have been grouped semi-arbitrarily into 3 categories based on the primary types of volcanoes, and the types of climbing found as a result. Glaciated Composite Peaks Shields and Plugs Buttes and Cones
- Messier 86 (Wikipedia)
Messier 86 (also known as M86 or NGC 4406) is an elliptical or lenticular galaxy in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by Charles Messier in 1781. M86 lies in the heart of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies and forms a most conspicuous group with another large galaxy known as Messier 84. It displays the highest blue shift of all Messier objects, as it is, net of its other vectors of travel, approaching the Milky Way at 244 km/s. This is due to both galaxies falling roughly towards the center of the Virgo cluster from opposing ends.