Spelunking at Mt. St. Helens

Guest post written by my buddy Keith Kramer

How many of us can say that we've stood within a mile of an active volcano ... and been in the continental United States while doing it? If you've been to Mt. St. Helens, you can say exactly that and I can affirm that it is a truly awesome sight!

Mt. St. Helens is an easy day trip from the Portland area, so I go there with my husband several times a year. We want to make a full day of it, so after setting our home alarm system, we take off in the car fairly early in the morning.

One of our favorite places to go in the Mt. St. Helens area is Ape Cave. The cave is a giant lava tube and traveling its length does not require any crawling - you can walk upright the whole way! Ape Cave is a great place to go on a hot summer day because the temperature in the lava tube is always cool enough that you need a jacket, just don't forget that you'll need a flashlight, too.

When we're done spelunking, we drive closer to the mountain to get a better view, maybe choose an easy hike that takes us to a sparkling clear lake or take time out to see a Visitor's Center. It's a fun way to spend a day outdoors!