WSDOT delays reopening of Mount St. Helens' Johnston Ridge Observatory

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The observatory that overlooks Mount St. Helens is now expected to re-open years later than what was initially anticipated.

In an update shared last week, the Washington State Department of Transportation’s southwest division said the Johnston Ridge Observatory is slated to re-open in spring 2027 — along with the upper portion of the nearby highway.

KOIN 6 previously reported that officials hoped to re-open the roads in summer 2024, over a year after unseasonably warm temperatures caused the rapid snowmelt that led to a massive landslide.

“Shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday, May 14, 2023, more than 300,000 cubic yards of debris from an adjacent hillside fell approximately 2,000 feet above State Route 504 and covered the roadway with rock, mud, incense and water, causing catastrophic damage to the 85-foot Spirit Lake Outlet Bridge at milepost 49,” WSDOT said.

While there were no injuries, about a dozen people were left stranded overnight as they waited for a King County helicopter crew to rescue them. The evacuees recovered their vehicles nearly two months later.

WSDOT’s recent update shows that crews installed a temporary bypass in the area in July 2023, but it “failed” in November. The transportation department and the U.S. Forest Service then determined they would focus on a permanent bridge replacement.

According to the proposed timeline, officials will finish designing the bridge and launch the bidding process for the project contract next summer.

Construction is expected to last from spring to fall 2026. The USFS will also work to restore power and conduct any necessary repairs at the observatory.

“This portion of SR 504 is closed every year for about six months due to harsh winter conditions. So the timeline is due to only have access to the roadway/facility during the few fair weather months between May and early November,” WSDOT explained on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The Hummocks Trailhead, Coldwater Lake, and Science and Learning Center remain open to visitors.