Trip Report
My Cousins Survival at Mt St. Helens - Butte Camp
Recalling the explosion of Mt. St. Helens
Lisa Elliott
- Thu, Jul 10, 2025 — Fri, Jul 11, 2025
- Basic Backpack - Butte Camp
- Butte Camp
- Backpacking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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CAMPING: Dispersed camping first come first serve below 4800'. Above 4800' required a permit to travel and camp.
PARKING PASS: America the Beautiful interagency or NW Forest Pass.
Remembering the explosion of Mt. St. Helens was something I will never forget in my lifetime. My cousin won't either after actually surviving the blast that covered and consumed he and his car in darkness and ash that day.
My first time hiking and spending the night at Mt St. Helens brought back many memories for me, some of them haunting. If you happened to be around 45 years ago, we were still brushing the ash off everything we owned from here to Yakima and as far as Montana and every place between right about this time of year in 1980.
One of the most exciting things I remember from the explosion of Mt. St. Helens was my cousin's recount as a videographer for KOMO 4 News in Seattle, Dave Crockett. Dave was a little older than me and had been living and working in Seattle.
During our recent trip to Butte Camp and overnight those of us who remembered the time leading up to and then the explosion could spew the details like ash as if it it were yesterday, others of us were too young, and then a few hadn't been born quite yet.
This trip for me had me recalling my disbelief that my cousin had been there for the story of his life, then have enough fortitude to video tape his thoughts and experiences. Luckily Dave somehow was found and was picked up by a helicopter patrolling the area for people maybe a few days later.
This year was the 45th year of that explosion. You can watch my cousin Dave Crockett's video KOMO 4 NEWS
THE TRIP: Side Trip- Ape Caves and Trail of Two Forests
Day 1- Trip to Butte Camp from Red Rock Pass. From FS Rd 8100 just beyond Ape Caves drive to Red Rock Pass. Hike in 2.5 miles 900' gain to Butte Camp. Butte Camp is nestled within a lovely meadow with a flowing brook.
Day 2 Butte Camp to Loowit Trail- the trail that goes around Mt. St. Helens. Take the trail further to the intersection of Loowit Trail. You can walk both directions either way to view boulder fields and sparse wildflowers gaining an additional 900'.
Total Mileage: 9 miles 2000' elevation breathtaking and surreal.