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impacting the area. Leftover debris from the eruption unexpectedly broke loose and, as it flowed downstream, washed out a bridge on the only road to the observatory. Thus, the Coldwater Lake Recreation Area and Science & Learning Center are (as of this writing) the upper limit of public access along Route 504. But that area offers a great view of MSH’s north face on a clear day and some fascinating and easy hiking among many of the hummocks deposited during the eruption. Coldwater Lake was created by landside debris damming a creek during and after the eruption. The small Kim Island in the lake is a single hummock, or a former piece of MSH, deposited over 6 miles away by the power of the eruption.
Although MSHNVM might not hold the prestige of a National Park, it is a perfect place to be reminded of the power of nature. While the events here in 1980 were cataclysmic, life remains resilient and the landscape is recovering faster than anyone predicted. It is different, of course, but alive and thriving, nonetheless. It should also be noted that while Portland, Oregon, was not the focus of this article, it is closer to MSHNVP than Seattle is. Portland has its own international airport (KPDX), two Class D reliever airports and multiple small pilot- controlled fields. Any one of them could serve as an
excellent launching point into MSHNVP or MRNP to the north or the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area to the south. The latter of which is deserving of an article of its own. KA
Copyright 2024, Matthew McDaniel
First publication rights granted to The Village Press, for King Air magazine All other rights reserved by copyright holder
Matthew McDaniel is a Master & Gold Seal CFII, ATP, MEI, AGI, & IGI and Platinum CSIP. In 34 years of flying, he has logged over 21,000 hours in total, over 5,800 hours of instruction given, and over
5,000 hours in various King Airs and the BE-1900D. As the owner
of Progressive Aviation Services, LLC (www.progaviation.com), he has specialized in Technically Advanced Aircraft and Glass Cockpit instruction since 2001. Currently, he is also a Boeing 737-Series Captain for an international airline, holds eight turbine aircraft type ratings and has flown over 135 aircraft types. Matt is one of less than 15 instructors in the world to have earned the Master CFI designation for 11 consecutive two-year terms. He can be reached at matt@ progaviation.com or 414-339-4990.
FEBRUARY 2024
KING AIR MAGAZINE • 23