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kepPNW: First view of the volcano, as I emerge from the forest, with the sun just starting to hit the upper flanks.
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kepPNW: One of the prettier formations on the volcano, nicely lit by the rising sun.
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kepPNW: View from Chocolate Falls, looking southward, at sunrise.
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kepPNW: Yep, heading up the Worm Flows, again!
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kepPNW: Cellphone panarama of the sunrise over the adjacent ridge.
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kepPNW: Sun rising over Mount Adams.
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kepPNW: Snow was really soft down below, and all the way up, the worm flows.
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kepPNW: Was quite surprised to see so many climbers ascending the gully beside the worm. Turns out they were all on skis, so it made some sense.
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kepPNW: Tried googling that CFR and it turned up zero hits. Hmmm...
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kepPNW: Skiers about to cross under a cornice that had just recently let loose a small avalanche, presumably when other skiers traversed below it. Hmmm...
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kepPNW: Almost 8:00am, and the sun is still pretty low over Mount Adams.
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kepPNW: Wondered briefly whether the clouds swirling about the summit might last or get worse. Thankfully, they passed quickly.
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kepPNW: Trail crampons. Perfect thing, on many days, for this mountain.
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kepPNW: "Almost there!"
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kepPNW: First view over the rim into the crater of Mount Saint Helens.
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kepPNW: Looking east from spot where I arrived at the rim.
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kepPNW: Beautiful ice scupture looks almost unchanged since last climb up here five weeks prior.
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kepPNW: Looking over at the western crater wall.
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kepPNW: Exquisite banding on the western crater wall. Just love the contrast there!
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kepPNW: Obligatory summit selfie.
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kepPNW: Sure seems like an odd place to find a moth!
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kepPNW: More cool ice formations along crater rim.
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kepPNW: Brunch, with a view!
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kepPNW: All my crap.
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kepPNW: Looks like the area around Coldwater Peak and eastward towards Mount Margaret will be hard to get to for some time to come.
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kepPNW: 20180425_3755
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kepPNW: It was an absolutely amazing 69°F on the summit, as early as 9:30am! Long pants were converted to shorts immediately, when it was clear there was also no wind! Wowwee!!!
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kepPNW: It was an absolutely amazing 69°F on the summit, as early as 9:30am! Long pants were converted to shorts immediately, when it was clear there was also no wind! Wowwee!!!
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kepPNW: The skiers had beaten down a regular trail along the rim.
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kepPNW: Some really cool cornices!