Logs in a lake, toads in our hands, and a crustacean caught red-handed.

Last Monday, I had a day off work and we took the opportunity to leave town for a day. So, in our great originality, we went back up to Mt. St. Helens. This time we went to east side of the mountain to Windy Ridge. I went up there with my brother Steen just after I had come home from my mission 6 years ago, and it was a very nice time of year to come, because the weather is good and the colors are just starting to turn (and the toads are emerging).

Steen took me on a hike to Harmony Point on the shore of Spirit lake, where hundreds of trees were deposited after the lake was hit by the giant landslide in 1980 and the water rushed up the surrounding slopes, gathering the dead trees. This is a hike I have been wanting to do again and take Ruth on.

So, here is proof that we made it all the way:

I really like it down there, because it is a really nice view of the mountain, and you get to walk through a very interesting landscape.

 

Plus Ruth caught this really pretty beetle while we were down by the lake:

And here are the toads mentioned (look closely):

 

These are hundreds of baby toads who have just changed from tadpoles to adults. Around the lakes near the mountain these come out in bucket loads and they are very small. There are also still tadpoles swimming around in the water, many with various numbers of limbs.

 

These little toads have the potential to reach the size of this girl that we found on our hike:

While looking at toads, Ruth also spotted this guy in the water:

   

That was our Monday adventure. Geology and Biology on the same trip.

Ruth’s Adventure: To Utah and Back

I got to go to Utah at the end of August to go to one of my best friend’s wedding. Dana couldn’t go because he had to work, so I got to go have fun with out him. I stayed at my Grantpa’s in West Jordan (Thanks, Grantpa!). Jackie picked me up from the airport the first day and we had fun gallivanting around preparing for the wedding. Here are some pictures.

This is my former roommate, Hilary, and her husband Chris who have been married for a while and agreed to drive me to the sealing in Bountiful. They win the Superhero prize of the weekend because they did this the same weekend they were leaving Utah to move to Maryland and Hilary made Jackie’s wedding cake… and they have a new baby. So major props to them. Thanks, guys!

At the reception, Jackie sang a song to her new hubby. It was very cute (and super good!)

Cutting the cake (made by Hilary, isn’t it pretty!) and eating the cake. It was really yummy. Go, Hilary. 

 

Jackie’s reception was in the heritage park up behind the This is the Place Monument. This was the view off the porch up into the mountains, and then the sunset over the valley. Congrats to Jackie and Kendall!

 

It just so happened that the same weekend I was in Utah, Will, Courtney, and Whitney were there too! Check out their blog for their full scale adventure. They were kind enough to come and get me and then let me kick around with the fun Andersons all day before taking me to the airport. So here are some adorable pictures of Whitney. I believe she is smiling at her uncle Zack right here.

Thanks Andersons and Keelers for letting me come and crash your vacation!