Windy Ridge is a ridge and eponymous Forest Highway in the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. The ridge goes between Windy Pass and Independence Pass, 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Spirit Lake.[1] Several road guides list Windy Ridge Road (NF-99) as one of the best roads in Washington State due to its good pavement, good views, and winding "sweeper" curves enjoyable to many drivers and motorcycle riders.[2][3][4][5] At the end of the road at 4,200 feet (1,300 m) elevation,[6] at 46°15′00″N 122°08′14″W / 46.25000°N 122.13722°W above Spirit Lake, there is a viewpoint into the St. Helens crater.[7]
NF-99 meets Forest Road 25 near Wakepish Sno-park running to Windy Ridge and other Spirit Lake overlooks past places such as Bear Meadow Viewpoint, Miner's Car, Meta Lake and Cascade Peaks. This is one of the most popular back-country destinations on the Forest and Monument.[8]
History
editIn early June 2023, access to Windy Ridge from the south was prohibited for an indeterminate time due to a landslide on Forest Service Road 25. The natural hazard coincides with the 2023 South Coldwater Slide in the prior month that prevented access to the Johnston Ridge Observatory.[9][10]
In 2024, a portion of the Windy Ridge parking area is to be temporarily used as a staging area until late October of the year during a rebuild of an access road leading to Spirit Lake. The construction is part of an effort to upgrade and repair the 1985 drainage tunnel. During the overall tunnel project, several trails leading from Windy Ridge into the pumice plain or near the lake will no longer be accessible during weekdays. The closures are planned to be in place until 2027.[11]
References
edit- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Windy Ridge (Skamania County, Washington)
- ^ Bosworth & Sanders 2003 "Washington's twistiest road coated in a lacquer of smooth, dreamy pavement..."
- ^ National Geographic 2018, p. 400.
- ^
Bruce Hansen (April 7, 2011), "Washington's Top 5", Rider,
[T]he twistiest roads in the whole of the Pacific Northwest
- ^ Hansen 2016, pp. 252–259.
- ^ Vielbig 1997, p. 66.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Windy Ridge Viewpoint
- ^ Forest Road 99 official website, U.S. National Forest Service, accessed 2018-09-12
- ^ Day, Hayley (June 10, 2023). "Second landslide restricts access to more Mount St. Helens destinations". The Daily News (Longview, Washington). The Seattle Times. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ The Chronicle staff (May 23, 2023). "Forest Service Hopes to Provide 'Alternative' Recreation at Mount St. Helens as Surveys of South Coldwater Slide Continue". The Chronicle. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- ^ Atkinson, Minka. "Some Mount St. Helens trails will close on weekdays through 2027". The Seattle Times. The Daily News (Longview, Washington). Retrieved May 22, 2024.
Sources
edit- Bosworth, Brian; Sanders, Michael (2003), Destination Highways Washington, Twisted Edge Publishing, ISBN 0-9684328-1-6
- Hansen, Bruce (2016), Motorcycle Journeys Through the Pacific Northwest, Motorbooks, ISBN 0760352690
- Guide to Scenic Highways and Byways: The 300 Best Drives in the U. S., National Geographic Books, 2018, ISBN 1426219059
- Vielbig, Klindt (1997), Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument: For Hiking, Climbing, Skiing, and Nature Viewing, The Mountaineers Books
External links
edit
- Windy Ridge viewpoint, ScenicWA.com
- Windy Ridge and Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, White Pass Scenic Byway
- Windy Ridge viewpoint, Mount St. Helens Science and Learning Center (Mount St. Helens Institute and the U.S. Forest Service)
This article incorporates public domain material from Forest Road 99. United States Forest Service. Retrieved 2018-09-12.
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