Overnighter, shelter build in old growth in the shadow of Mt St Helens USA

[Hemlock-]

We heard the weather was supposed to clear slightly for the weekend, so we hit the mountains for some fun. It rained for the better part of a week, and night time temps were in the high teens. So cold and wet was to be expected.
The group was made up of my brother in law and his 3 sons aged, 11, 9, and 7, my 16 yo son, my nephew and his 18 yo girlfriend, and myself of course.
My son, nephew, my BIL, and myself are outdoors-men. For the kids and the young lady it was there first trip.
The area we went is just 10 miles from Mt. St. Helens, and is a logged over area on the edge of an old growth preserve. St. Helens impact on the area is very heavy. Although it never cleared enough to see the mountain!
Unfortunately I got less pics then I had wanted of the actual construction, but there's still plenty of pics.
This area where we built our shelter was logged and is transitional into old growth. The age of the cut is quite old though, and was done back in the steam donkey, spring board, misery whip days.
The road in was a typical NW dirt road!

Breaking ice puddles up

We selected a levelish spot with some logs to help in the construction.

Framing

Rolls of moss being gathered

 

[Hemlock-]

One of the only pics I got of the inside.

Night came quickly!
Back side of the shelter

Front side. You can sort of see it's made into three sections, with a center long fire in a deep pit. Plastic lined, with eblankets reflecting some heat back.

Last minute firewood gather before bed! Always good to have extra, and the last thing we wanted was a cold night. We would have turned the newbies off to it for ever if it was a miserable cold night.

 

[Hemlock-]

Tools mostly used in the construction

The group with their shelter this morning, after clearing plastic and cleaning camp. We all slept warm and comfy! This was far from textbook, and could have been better in ways, but worked well.

The effects of Mt. ST. Helens here are great. Here's a random patch of moss:

This is what you'll find anywhere you look. Ash, and lots of it.
A shovel underneath that same moss.

Elk tracks eroding the ash hill side.

 

[Hemlock-]

When St Helens erupted in 1980 it exploded out the north side, but sent a volcanic slurry called a lahar down the south side. A lahar is 90% solid material, and only 10% water, mostly from instant glacier melt. The lahar destroyed quite literally everything in it's path, and rushed down all the creeks and rivers.
In this pic you can see the some of the damage from the lahar. The river basin was all wiped clean, the alders are all new growth since, and that rectangle object is a two land bridge! It was ripped out by the fast moving slurry and sent downstream 1/2 mile or so till it hit a hillside on a corner bend and came to rest here. The alders are obviously all growth since then.

Underneath showing the framing and concrete

Here on the right hand side of the bridge you can see some of the twisted guard rail

Looking up the river you can see the path the lahar took. Most of the brown trees you see are alders along the river where it was stripped 34 years ago. Many of the rocks are volcanic, the sand is ash, and the drift wood is all charred.

 

[Hemlock-]

A heavily used elk crossing

Climbing the elk trails out of here

Coming out of the lahar path by the river we climbed into some old growth. Here we saw a reminder that humans have used this area for many many years. Long before whites came here. When cedar bark is pulled from a tree it leaves a very characteristic mark on the tree. This one is ages old. I wonder who pulled that? Was it a squaw picking berries on the shore of the river? Was it a fisherman? Maybe an early Mnt man bushcrafter needed a bit of bark for a hat to shed water!

After coming out of there, we took a stroll through the old growth preserve.

 

[Hemlock-]

My son using this stout doug fir as a rock wall

To me this speaks volumes about a NW old growth succession forest. Two very large Doug firs, with a shade tolerant Hemlock waiting in the middle. Someday those large dougs will die and fall, then the Hemlock will seize it's chance to fill in.

 

[Hemlock-]

I like the look of these two trees growing together.

Natural shelters come easy in this terrain!

Found this at an old campsite, thought you guys may dig it.

 

[Hemlock-]

Finding dry fuel for a fire is a must, but it can be easy if you know where to look. Here's a few good sources in this pic.

On the left side of this stand of trees you can see the cedar. Fluffed inner cedar bark makes great tinder.

In the middle is a large Doug fir and you can see what looks like a black streak. A tree fell and hit this one, leaving a massive scar on it. That scar has oozed fire goodness sap for years. Coating all the debri below it in a heavy drenching of pitch.

Large logs will often have good solid wood underneath, or inside. You just have to get to it.

If you beat on an old fallen rotten log with the back of your ax, eventually you'll often find thick red streaks of a pith wood often dry and pitch laden.




Well that's about all. Hope you all enjoyed the trip, we sure did! Everyone had an excellent time, and all came back safe. We made four new bushcrafters and got to enjoy an empty wilderness with family and friends.

 

[crosslandkelly]

Great pics, that's a helluva shelter, shame there's not more pics.

 

[Hemlock-]

Great pics, that's a helluva shelter, shame there's not more pics.

There is, I'm waiting on a few posts to be mod approved. Thanks!

 

[Gav Bristol]

Some top pics here Hemlock! That shelter looks great, proper little cosy retreat. Hope all the first time campers had a great time!

 

[ozzy1977]

Great pics, thanks for sharing

 

[Stringmaker]

That was a fascinating and educational post.

I remember the mountain going up, and it is interesting to see how nature is doing its best to reclaim the landscape.

Over here we have lots of people driving big 4x4 vehicles who only ever take them off road to park on the pavement! (sidewalk). That track you came in on needed a canoe.

Thanks for a great, and different story.

 

[Cromm]

That's great.

 

[Badger74]

Looks like a fantastic trip, but damp.

That's a very unusual knife you found. Looks like is been made from a metal rail spike?

 

[MartinK9]

Many thanks for posting.

Some huge trees you have over there.

 

[Mesquite]

That's a great trip and you've a fantastic area to play in

Thanks for sharing your trip with is

 

[Dreadhead]

nice write up thanks for sharing looks like a blast!

 

[RE8ELD0G]

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a great time out

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

 

[crosslandkelly]

Thanks for the rest of the pics, it's amazing how quickly the forest reasserts itself after an eruption like that. Nice find the rail spike knife, one for the collection.