Vegas Voice May 2023 Edition

As part of the Cascade Range, Mt. St. Helens,
Mt. Hood, and Mt. Jefferson appear like a spine
progressing up the center of Oregon and Washington. And when it
comes to Mt. St. Helens, expect the unexpected, scientists say.
Mt. St. Helens represents nature’s awesome power at its finest and the
most active volcano (and deadliest) in North America. The mountain
was dormant for 127 years and being from the Pacific Northwest, I
grew up with assurances the beautiful dormant white mountain would
never become active in my lifetime.
40 May 2023
Could Mt. St. Helens
Blow Again?
By: Kathy Manney / Around Our World
That was
before Mt. St.
Helens came
to life and
literally blew
her great
white dome
top on May
18, 1980.
Survivors
called it “Hell
on earth.”
On May 17,
1980, a succession of earthquakes underneath the mountain signaled
that a cataclysmic occurrence was commencing. Many thought the
mountain would blow straight-up when it went off. Instead, it blew
sideways.
A mudflow roared down at 300-miles per hour. The blast was
stronger than hurricane force, with mud the texture of concrete. It was
the largest landslide in recorded history.
The nine-hour eruption killed 57 people and leveled 230-square
miles of prime forest. To this day, it’s Washington State’s worst air
polluter.
Mt. St. Helens is rebuilding itself from the inside out and is still
considered the most likely mountain in the Cascades to blow again.
The Cascade Mountain Range stretches from British Columbia to
Northern California.
With a perfect conical shape Mt. St. Helens was considered the prettiest
in the range. When I was a teenager, my family enjoyed a camping trip
alongside the lake that was below picturesque Mt. St. Helens.
Spirit Lake is no more. When the mountain blew, the lake swiftly
overflowed with volcanic ash and debris.
St. Helens is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific
Ring of Fire. As of now, the mountain is to some degree tranquilly
wrapped in timber and ash, but could Mt. St. Helens Blow Again?
“Indeed, she could,” declare prominent volcano scientists.
Kathy draws her articles from a diverse personal background. She
hopes readers enjoy her column as much as she enjoys the writing and
sharing.
Hawaii
By: Lisa Kemmerling /
The Fashionable Traveler
When I think of the Hawaiian Islands, some of
my most treasured memories come to mind.
I fell in love with Hawaii at the tender age of 15,
when my high school was offering trips to various places for a spring
sabbatical.
Many hours of babysitting and working at the Dairy Queen later
helped fulfill that dream. Landing in Oahu after an 8 hour journey, I
quite literally thought “I’m in Paradise.”
A decade later, when I met my husband we decided to take our
honeymoon to Kona on The Big Island. That was soon followed by all
the subsequent trips to the various Islands (with our daughter through
the years) confirming what many people already knew - that Hawaii is
magical, beautiful, relaxing, and tropical all rolled into one.
Naturally, many things have changed over the years on these
beautiful islands. Setting all that aside, we recently returned to the
island of Maui to immerse ourselves once again and reminisce about
the good times we’ve had.
If you’re a golf enthusiast, then Maui is your place. With 14 courses to
choose from, they’re considered some of the most challenging around.
For those who enjoy more adventurous activities, an early morning
bike ride down Haleakala will definitely wake you up - been there and
done that. US News ranked Wailea and Napili Bay as some of the best
beaches in the world.
There are many restaurants in Maui to choose from; however, our
personal favorite is Merriman’s, located in a beautiful cove with ocean
views. Traveling to the other islands you’ll also find that this amazing
restaurant is located on Kauai and the Big Island.
Clothing seems to change with time, and as a Fashion consultant
casual can be dressed up or down depending on where you are headed.
For the ladies, linen, dresses, and skirts paired with sandals and a light
wrap or sweater for those cooler nights will suffice.
For the men, shorts or light dress pants paired with none other than
a Hawaiian shirt is perfectly acceptable in most cases. “Let the waves hit
your feet, and the sand be your seat.” Aloha!
Lisa Kemmerling is the owner of Clean Lines Fashion Consulting,
helping individuals with their packing needs for travel, as
well as finding current styles for both men & women. You can
contact her at: lisa@cleanlinesfashion.com or 925/518-4950.