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Saturday, September 16
Erin Lee and Jeff Lemley met up with Dr. LeRoy Fish at 5:30 PM at Lone Butte
Snopark, located 28 miles north of Carson, WA. Lemley, Lee, and Fish then proceeded
a few miles up the road to establish base camp for the week-long expedition. The location
they settled on was at the end of an old logging road, about 1/4 mile behind a gravel
pit. The road dead-ended at a turn around in the middle of a clearcut. There was a
ridge located 600 yards to the southwest, and another ridge directly east. The spot also offered
an excellent view of Mt. St. Helens to the west. The clearcut appeared to be roughly
25 years old, with some new growth approaching 12-15 feet in height. There
was an abundance of huckleberry bushes located at the end of the road, which were
in season.
Majestic Mt. St. Helens.
Photo by Jeff Lemley
Fish, Lee and Lemley proceeded with setting up camp and gathering firewood.
Rick Noll arrived just before dark. He had been burdened with some alternator
problems on the trip up, and so was late arriving. He then left to go to try locating
Derek Randles, who was also scheduled to meet up with us.
Fish, Lee and Lemley finished setting up camp, and prepared dinner. Noll returned after dinner,
never having located Randles. Lemley and Lee departed camp at around 11 PM, as both had to be in
Portland, OR, the next day to meet up with other expedition members. Fish and Noll settled
in for the night. The only disturbance noted that evening was a visit by several extremely vocal coyotes
that came to within 50 yards of camp.
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