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Where were you when the volcano blew?

May 18, 2020 by Matthew

A photo from an exhibit at the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center showing the aftermath of the massive landslide and steam explosion that occurred on May 18, 1980. The smoldering crater is releasing steam around a charred black mountain that leads down a dusty landscape to Spirit Lake, now almost filled with floating logs of the trees destroyed in the blast.

40 year anniversary of the Mount St. Helens volcanic blast

When I was seven I remember taking an end-of-the-year Sunday school field trip.  My Aunt Barbara was our teacher, and cousin Monica and I played in the back seat of the silver Toyota Corolla as she drove toward a waterway in the dike area of Scappoose. All at once, she stopped the car in the middle of the road and turned up the am radio station. The radio was scratchy — people talking in serious tones of worry. 

Aunt Barbara turned the car around and we didn’t understand.  I wanted to have the picnic as planned, mostly because there would be German Chocolate cake at the end for dessert. The energy seemed one of panic, but there was no explanation to us — I was dropped off at home to find my mom in a frenzy. 

It was May 18, 1980 and only 40 miles away from us the crater of Mount St. Helens had just blasted a 13 mile high cauliflower cloud of ash and rock with the force of over 1500 atomic bombs. 

As a child I didn’t quite understand that history was in the making — radio and TV were wild with sensational stories.  Thousands of acres of trees were thrown down like matchsticks and the insta-melted glaciers created a wall of water, mud and debris that raced down the Toutle River, tearing out anything in the way. The sediment was the consistency of wet concrete and eventually ended up filling the Columbia River to the point that shipping had to cease until the river could be re-dredged. Thousands of trees making it to the Pacific Ocean were returned to the beaches along the coastline as massive mementos of driftwood. Even today, there are huge piles of ash seen in places along busy Interstate 5 around the Toutle River.

The initial blast hit an easterly current, so most of the debris blew toward the Yakima Valley and beyond, entombing the farming communities with thick soot-like gray ash.  This was an instant hardship for the farmers of Washington.  A few days later the winds shifted south, directly towards Scappoose and we were graced with inches of the gray dust. It was a fine talcum powder feel until rain water was added — then a gooey gelatinous consistency lathered over everything. 

Cleaning the thick molasses substance from our deck and lawn was forever burned into my memory and it seemed to take forever.  We saved some of the ash in mason jars for posterity. Farming was very difficult that summer, as all the fields of crops were encased in ash — making the process of harvesting near to impossible.  The machinery would grind to a stop from the friction of the gritty substance. 

We witnessed a few more smaller eruptions that summer with light fallout of ash and once the dust settled, by the fall of 1980, Mount St. Helens had blown about 1,300 vertical feet and a whole side of mountain into the atmosphere and ash was traced all over the world. 57 souls perished in the catastrophic series of events and almost 200 people were rescued by helicopter crews. 

The scene for many years after the famous eruption resembled photos of the moon. No apparent life for miles — just volcanic ash everywhere. The nearby mountain lakes were filled with a medley of debris including a patchwork of trees, mud and all kinds of other organic matter.  It seemed like life would never return. 

In only a matter of years, the lakes cleared up, aided by millions of small bacteria. Trees were planted in some areas while other parts of the topography welcomed volunteer seeds of quick-growing trees like alders. Pocket gophers mixed the ash and soil, prairie lupine sprouted from roots in the ground, and sitka willow rooted along streams — all early heroes in a new, emerging world. 

Aside from shoveling her ash, my relationship with Mt. St. Helens developed later in the 1990’s.  I’ve enjoyed so many varied experiences — hiking the dusty blast zone ridge trail, exploring the Ape Caves, camping near Cougar, riding in a helicopter over the ridges of blasted trees, and climbing to the summit of the crater rim in the June snow.  I’ve grown to love the mountain and surrounding areas in this newly emerging recreation wonderland.

People interviewed about the statuesque mountain before the eruption consistently shared that she had a powerful spirit.  For me, every visit feels like a pilgrimage and even today, in my home, I still feel a sense of reverence when my thoughts turn to her.  There is an energy — a personality — existing just under the surface.   

I recently returned to Mt. St. Helens and felt a rush of joy gazing at the snow-covered crater — a vibrant carpet of plant life flowing in every direction as we rounded the many curves along the Spirit Lake Highway.  Truly inspiring that 40 years later the landscape is a lush color of green, everywhere.

To me, the sleeping volcano gifts us an amazing metaphor for our current times — even after epic devastation completely alters the landscape, life returns. It might be slightly different than before, but resilience is all around us — in nature and in humanity. 

May resilience live on!
Matthew

PS.  I’ve followed Mount St. Helens history for many years and have a few favorite photo essays and articles that bring to life the events around the May 18, 1980 volcanic eruption.  

My favorite collection of photos are displayed in The Atlantic. 

Harry R. Truman owned and operated the Mt. St. Helens Lodge, at Spirit Lake, for many years.  At 83 years of age, he refused to leave the mountain when everyone else evacuated May 17, 1980.  This is a romantic tribute to him. 

The Seattle Times produced a great piece about the couple owning the other lodge on Mt. St. Helens, Spirit Lake Lodge.  A very heartfelt, human read. 

Mount St. Helens before and after

A photo from exhibit in the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center showing the lovely snow capped mountain peak before the devastating eruption that would remove the top third of the peak.  This shot shows snow and glaciers on the top of the mountain transitioning to gray rocky areas that lead to a thick carpet of green fir trees flowing towards Spirit Lake.
Mount St. Helens prior to the beginning of volcanic activity. One arm of Spirit Lake can be seen in the lower right of the photo.
A photo from an exhibit at the Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center showing the aftermath of the massive landslide and steam explosion that occurred on May 18, 1980.  The smoldering crater is releasing steam around a charred black mountain that leads down a dusty landscape to Spirit Lake, now almost filled with floating logs of the trees destroyed in the blast.
Mount St. Helens after the blast, which forced thousands of trees off the hills and into Spirit Lake. The landslide and blast raised the lake level about 200 feet and entombed both lodges deep under the debris. 
Three hikers at the summit of Mt. St. Helens, with the rim to the crater in behind them in gray. There is snow on the ground and they are wearing hiking gear. In the distance Mt. Adams rises up amongst blue skies.
Reaching the 8,363 foot rim of the crater, which is the gray rocky crest seen to the left behind me. Mt. Adams rises up majestically to the east behind us. June, 2013.
A visit to the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is a must for anyone living in or visiting the Pacific Northwest.  I’ve created a great guide for a “greatest hits” day trip from Portland, Seattle, or points in between.  Click the Pinterest tile below to be taken to the Kessi World site for more information.
This Pinterest tile shows a black and white photo of the huge steam and ash blast that occurred the morning of May 18, 1980. Ash billows up to the sky from a rock and snow covered mountain capped by a huge crater.

Filed Under: Blog, Mountains Tagged With: Blog, Mountains, Mt. St. Helens

I hope you’re enjoying Kessi World

Hi, I’m Matthew Kessi. Travel with me around the Pacific Northwest to inspire love and respect for nature and foster meaningful connections. My lifetime traveling the planet — over 60 countries — gives me a global awareness that offers a fresh look at Oregon and Washington.

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I would like to acknowledge that much of my inspiration comes from living on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.

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