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Logging Equipment- Dead at Mt. St. Helens!

Contract Logger

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2010
Messages
1,321
Location
SW Washington, SE Alaska
Occupation
Equipment Broker
Opps, forgot to insert picture. DUH!

In your picture here that GT-5 is at the right, out of the pic- way up at the headwaters of the lake in the canyon. Steepest, worst section going down, but the machinery is on a flat bench above the lake just a little.

ALSO- There is the possibility that the lake level has risen enough that it too is now underwater. There's an inexpensive helicopter tour outfit over at Hoffstadt Bluffs Visitor Center. I think before I made that hike again, I'd just hire a fly-over of the whole canyon at low-altitude and survey everything that way. It would take 10 minutes, tops. Probably cost 150 bucks but that sure beats the #@#$ out of that hike!

P.S.- they cannot and will not land in the 'National Volcanic Monument'. I've tried that already and no one will do it.......ugh.
 

akroadrunner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2011
Messages
173
Location
Alaska
Occupation
Gravel Pit/ Trucking/Owner
No, you're right. That would be too far below the lake. I wonder what that tube came off of then? Lots of gear in there, I guess maybe it could even have come off a scrap truck bombing down the gravel there. There are pieces of scattered iron all over that country.
I suppose they could have lost some iron on the way out. Like I said before, the insurance company rushed a salvage job while my Dad was in Alaska. He was way beyond pissed to find the stuff already gone without his knowledge when he returned. I really appreciate all the pics and info you have posted in this thread. Thanks, CL
 

cwwrman

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Messages
12
Location
North Bend, Wa
OK, you got me scanning again after I was done for the night......

Here is a reference shot of Weyerhaeuser yarder # 226, a Madill 046 slackline on the big tank bottom. Weyco had a bunch of these 046 machines on tank, rubber, and even trailer mountings at the Longview operation through the 1970's and early 80's. The tank mounts were heavy as hell to move.

This pic was taken on Coldwater Ridge in 1979 before the eruption, during a setting move.

I am not quite sure, but I think the guy with his back towards the camera in left of the photo is my aunts first husband Dave Gardin. He worked for Weyco at the time of the eruption. I am not sure where exactly his last setting was at but I want to say it was on Coldwater Ridge and I pretty sure this was his tower. They finished setting up the tower and everything on Friday May 16th 1980 and were ready for logging on Monday morning. Well, we all know that they didnt log come Monday morning.
 

johnson

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
138
Location
Pancevo Serbia
That's not me in the pictures,but from what I hear ash was a real problem while bucking and sawing and another problem was that it was everywhere and was constantly raising while the turns of logs where being hauled to the lading.That's what I hear don't really know I wasn't there.Here's another picture of the ash damaged trees.The ash burned the bark right of. mtsthelens106.jpg
 
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johnson

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Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
138
Location
Pancevo Serbia
Contractors were brought in to dig ditches to drain the water from the debris flow so that salvage of the railroad cars, tracks and ties could take place. The first people into these camps had to use pieces of plywood to get out to the equipment that could be started and operated. Tractors could crawl up out of the shallower flow and start clearing the mud. This was a log storage area also so they could use logs as this excavator is doing to support themselves as they progressed. Otherwise they would sink in what was essentially debris-filled quicksand. Once drainage was established the debris and mud being volcanic and angularly sandy in nature set up rather quickly so it could be moved away from the equipment and log piles to begin the actual salvage efforts.
mtsthelens051.jpg
A completed drainage ditch to let the water drain out of the debris mixture
mtsthelens052.jpg
 

Dualie

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2007
Messages
1,371
Location
Nor Cal
agreed! this is history pure and simple. And not that BS history they put in text books either.
 

johnson

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
138
Location
Pancevo Serbia
They even wrote a song about the eruption [video=youtube;zp5MO77bFA4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zp5MO77bFA4&feature=related[/video] I didn't make the video,hope the owner doesn't mind.
 
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STEVEGODSEYJR

Member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
18
Location
INDIANA
I just read the entire thread again, WOW, what a day it must have been for those in the area!! Thanks to everyone who contributed to the thread!!
Steve
 

kiwi450x

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2012
Messages
76
Location
New Zealand
Yeah, I read this thread a while ago and it's fascinating. You just don't see history like this any old where. I just can't get over how lucky they were that it didn't blow during the week.
 
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