As part of our trip we will be driving from Portland to Seattle and would like to see Mt. Hood, St. HElen%26#39;s, Rainier. From the postings on this board, we were thinking while we are in Portland, we could do a day trip to Mt. Hood. Do you have any suggestions on which tour companies to recommend? Then on our way from Portland to Seattle, it was suggested to visit Mt. St. Helen%26#39;s. Which route is the best to take and would we be able to do this without taking a tour. We don%26#39;t have any intentions of hiking or anything, just going to the visitor centers and taking some pictures. What else should we plan to do and how long should we plan to spend there, with leaving enough time to get to Seattle (how long will that take). Then while in Seattle we thought we could take another tour to Mt. Rainier (any suggestions) and how long will this be, there and back. Thank you for any info.
Portland-Seattle (Mt. Hood, St. Helen's, Rainier)Can%26#39;t help you regarding tour companies. However, it%26#39;s normally a full day outing to do the Mt. Hood loop that includes the Columbia Gorge and a visit to Timberline Lodge (a great lunch stop). It%26#39;s a three-hour ride from Portland to Seattle. Seeing Mt. St. Helens makes it a full day%26#39;s outing also. There are several visitor centers and it%26#39;s absolutely a must that you go all the way to the Johnston Ridge Observatory at the end of the road and see the view from there and the movie. You don%26#39;t say when you%26#39;ll be visiting. The observatory won%26#39;t open until mid-May and winter conditions could prevail for awhile. Snow is quite deep at Timberline, but if you go with a tour company, you won%26#39;t have to worry about the driving.
Portland-Seattle (Mt. Hood, St. Helen's, Rainier)We will be heading there in August. How far is Mt. St. Helen%26#39;s from Portland and would we be okay doing it on our own. Are there many signs to guide us through to all the areas that we should be going to? Do we have to get out and walk or can we drive and get out when we want to? Is there a certain route we should take from portland to Mt. St. Helen%26#39;s that is the easiest?
I believe its exit 45. Its pretty clearly marked. You need to stop at a few of the visitors ctr to get the most out of it. The last one is the most spectacular.
You turn off I-5 at Castle Rock, which is about an hour north of Portland. From there, it%26#39;s about 45 miles to the observatory. It%26#39;s all good road with lots of great scenery enroute. The first visitor center comes up about 5 miles in and is worth the stop. The next one is also pretty good (you get to walk through a mock-up of a volcano). Although there are a few spots to buy lunch, you%26#39;d be best advised to take along a picnic lunch and make use of the nice picnic areas (or, if it%26#39;s cold, hit the visitor center that has the luncheon counter on your way out and just use their indoor facilities). You won%26#39;t have to do any hiking...just the walks from the parking lots to the centers.
David--close, it is exit #49 :)
But yes, it is clearly marked and very easy to do yourself. Also agree that the movie at Johnston Ridge is a must!!!
I would not opt for doing any tours. You are coming at a good time for all the roads and such, and all 3 mountains are easy enough to do on your own.
gapper, with all due respect, you are making us work very hard in responding to your posts. Some of what you inquire about has been addressed or partly so in your other strings. We lack a cohesiveness to your queries. So...
It would help us to help you if you told us your itinerary as best you know it, on one string, newly titled, including arrival and departure points, sites already chosen, number of days or nights at each site, locations, etc., as best you know this. You should be able to do this with the information provided in prior posts and strings. Our replies then can be couched in reality, and you can intersperse questions at any point within that schedule. And we%26#39;ll feel free, as you asked, to provide suggestions within the context of the entire trip rather than its bits and pieces.
We%26#39;d then be able to better address, for example, how best to visit Mt. Rainier, Seattle, et al, which I covered in an earlier reply, in another string, to you. In that reply, I suggested, perhaps wondered, if you really could, in time available, - or even would want to make a choice - to see each mountain, and suggested priorities. I was trying to get at your schedule; no reply.
For example, above you ask about tours; I think we%26#39;ve addressed this -you don%26#39;t need them. You mention a tour to Mt. Rainier; no need. Plus, from Mt. St. Helens you could spend one night en route to, or at, Mt. Rainier, instead of doubling back from Seattle and blowing a day. But if you don%26#39;t reply to other advice regarding such things, how can we provide what you need?
I missed that you had other strings.
But I do suggest if you plan PDX to SEA in a day. you go to Johnston Ridge first. Unless you like long days. All the visitor centers are interestig and your day can disappear if you dawdle in each. We did that on a day trip from Portland and it was getting late by time we got back.
Stop at the Weyerhauser VC. They have a totally different story. They are managing private timberlands so have different mission than Forest Service which is managing public lands and the natural result of the volcano and let nature take over. I think the comparisons are interesting.
I have a couple of thoughts about other two mountains including not going up close to either, but Columbia Gorge is a must.
Hi Voyaging, I am very sorry. I have been going back and forth reading everything and trying my best not to ask the same questions and I am sorry if I missed some posts and did not reply. I will go over everything again and post as much of my itinerary as I have right now and any suggestions would be great. Thank you for your time. It is truly appreciated.
Forgive me if I am repeating anything others have said--there%26#39;s a lot of threads to read, but gapper, I just wanted to make sure you are aware that good weather is critical to seeing Mt. St. Helens. You will need a clear day in order to really see the mountain. If your don%26#39;t have a clear day, it probably won%26#39;t be worth the drive up to Johnston Ridge because you won%26#39;t be able to see the mountain. Check the forecasts, and you can always stop at the first visitor%26#39;s center off I-5 to see if the ';mountain is out.'; The staff will be able to tell you.
Mt. St. Helens is one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen. Prepare to be amazed! And..to echo the others, you don%26#39;t need a tour to enjoy the sights. It%26#39;s best done at your own pace.
Thank you. I truly hope it is a clear day because we really don%26#39;t have a choice in which day we are going. It is on our way to Seattle and that is the day we have to leave. Thanks for the tip!
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