The group watched fire fountains and lava flows about a quarter-mile away, until the National Park Service arrived at 7 am encouraging them to leave to avoid having their exit route cut off by molten lava flows. This year's field trip begins in Portland, Oregon, where the group will drive to Bend to stay at a community college and take day trips to Crater Lake, Three Sisters, and other local volcanic sites. At Mount St. Helens near Mount Rainier, they'll be getting up at 3 am to climb the eight miles up to view the 1980 eruption deposits. They'll also be visiting the Cascades Volcanic Observatory in Vancouver, Washington, and other sites during the two-week trip. If this sounds strenuous, that's because it is.
Students have to be in shape to handle the field trip.
Holly Kohler '01 is eagerly looking forward to the trip. I haven't done much field work before, so visiting volcanoes with a really knowledgeable volcanologist seemed like an outstanding opportunity. Kohler, who is interested in science writing, is glad she was advised to take the course before Godchaux retires. She's so accessible, it's been a very good experience. Godchaux, who became a faculty member in 1970, and has been teaching half-time since 1989, will be joining her husband permanently in Idaho, where he is with the Idaho Geological Survey.