There are two great viewpoints, where you can stare deep into the heart of an angry, murderous mountain, that not long ago, blew its top and leveled the surrounding landscape. The closer of the two, and less visited, is Windy Ridge. I first visited here as a child, about 10 years after the May 18, 1980 eruption. I came back in 2004, and then again on this trip, in 2011. Each time I return, the landscape seems to recover a bit more — a few more plants, some mature trees — but it remains anything but normal. To get to […]