Sunrise view from the crater rim of Mount St. Helens looking toward Mount Rainier
In the 1980s, during my early teenage years, I would spend many summer holiday days at the college library where my father worked. He and his staff helped the students in that unforgiving heat, when the mercury would rise above 115 degrees Fahrenheit every afternoon. I would find a dark, slightly cooler corner in the reading halls, where the windows were shut to block out the occasional hot Loo. The faint light reflected off the light-blue walls; the cupboards and books were all I needed to lose myself in the pages. What struck me most were the books on nature, and all I remember today is seeing images of craters photographed from the air. Eventually, life's demands took me on a long, circuitous route away from that fascination with volcanoes—one I have held for more than 40 years.
Now that I live in the Pacific Northwest and photograph many volcanoes from a distance, I've always craved seeing one up close, and the year 2026 brought a different kind of experience to the landscape and nature photographer in me. I spent more time working at a computer than being in the field the 150 days a year I was used to. Anyone who spends that much time in nature knows what kind of toll such a shift takes on you. I was already feeling low from missing my favorite autumn season when a conversation with a friend turned into an invitation to climb Mount St. Helens.
I was unsure of my ability. My initial reaction was a clear "no," yet I knew an opportunity to climb my favorite mountain in Washington State wouldn't always knock on my door. Despite my initial hesitation, my friend’s encouragement and a rush of adrenaline pushed me to say "yes" without wanting to think any further. All I had with me was a little climbing experience from years past and my sheer commitment to stick to my decision.
On the night of the climb, the rest of the team napped for a few hours. I stayed awake despite being exhausted, having woken up at 3:00 AM the day before. When we started from the trailhead for the 4,700-foot climb, I was already sleep-deprived for 21 hours. That showed when everyone reached the base of the mountain, out of the tree line, well before I did. Our leader worked hard navigating through the confusing rocks, which made moving on or around them in the dark very difficult. I was fortunate to have some past training, which thankfully came to our aid.
After 2,500 feet and hours of grueling work, just before the final ascent over loose scree, the sunrise suddenly seemed close at hand. Intense hues stretched across the base of massive Mount Adams to the east, while Mount Hood peeked into the southern sky. Just five minutes after sunrise, I reached the summit. I was finally standing on the crater rim of Mt. St. Helens!
Golden mist filled the valley below Mount Adams while standing on the knife-edge crater rim of Mount St. Helens
While golden and orange light spread quickly across the surrounding peaks, the crater itself remained plunged in deep shadow. From my vantage point on its knife-edge, the circular rim gave way to the lahar valley to the north; a newly forming glacier sat 2,000 feet straight down from my feet. A rising new dome near the center of the crater and venting fumes reminded me that it was all real.
More and more volcanoes, peaks, and hills had become visible now. Unmistakably rising above everything was the gigantic peak of Mount Rainier to the north, while even more volcanoes popped their heads up to the south in Oregon. The sky and the blue Pacific far away merged together to the west. I could only feel my heart and mind full of satisfaction from what I had seen and experienced. I remembered my father at that moment and missed him dearly; he was the one who sowed those seeds in me. I thanked my friend who led this unselfishly so we could all do it, and I felt happy and grateful, full of love for Mother Nature, whom I cherish.
Hiker on the edge of crater rim standing against the mighty Mount Adams
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