2023 Map of Spirit Lake West

About this map

The Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument defines this landscape, showing the complex recovery of a terrain transformed by the 1980 eruption. This modern survey details a high-elevation alpine environment where the North Fork Toutle River and Studebaker Creek drain the western blast zone. Major water bodies like Coldwater Lake and the northern reaches of Spirit Lake are prominent, accompanied by the various lakes of the back-country including Venus Lake and Hanaford Lake. Significant ridges and overlooks used for volcanic observation and research, such as Johnston Ridge and Harrys Ridge, provide context for the dramatic topography. The map also traces a network of high-country routes like the Boundary Trl and Whittier Ridge Trl, crossing into the adjacent Gifford Pinchot National Forest.