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Published: August 8th 2007
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Mt. St. Helens - Pre 1980
Notice the cone shape of the mountain. It stood 9l,377 ft. tall before the eruption in 1980. Our most exciting visit to date was to Mt. St. Helens. We had no idea of the devastation this area suffered from the violent volcanic eruption that occurred at 8:32a.m on Sunday, May 18, 1980. Compare the two pictures of the mountain before May 18th and then after May 18th.
Geologists call Mt. St. Helens a composite volcano(or stratovolcano), a term for steep-sided, often symmetrical cones constructed of alternating layers of lava flows, ash and other volcanic debris. This type of volcano erupts violently and explosively posing extreme danger to nearby life and property. This is very different from the gently sloping shield volcanoes, such as those in Hawaii, that erupt producing fluid lava that can flow great distances from the active vents.
Scientists now believe an earthquake of magnitude 5 triggered one of the world's largest recorded landslides. During this avalanche, more than 1300 feet of the mountain's top collapsed into the Toutle River Valley below. The massive landslide exposed hot molten rock and caused a powerful, laterally directed blast with winds over 600 mph. The pyroclastic surge, consisting of rock fragments, highly charged gas and superheated steam, devastated almost 150,000 acres of privately owned, state and national
The Eruption
At 8:32 a.m. Sunday, May 18, 1980 Ash from this eruption blew over 62,000 ft. into the air. Cars in Denver, Colorado were covered in ash just three days after the eruption and three weeks later, it was over the Atlantic Ocean. Yakima, Washington was covered in ash and the sky suddenly grew very dark. forests. The explosive eruption and debris avalanche resulted in the loss of 57 lives. Following the eruption, mud flows and associated flooding caused additional, extensive damage to public and private property downstream and destroyed over 200 homes along the river. Many miles of public roads and bridges were also destroyed requiring that they be rebuilt before the area could be reopened.
News Media from around the world showed mostly the actual blast and not the aftermath of the eruption. All above ground wildlife was destroyed. The extreme heat melted the glaciers and made a literal river of mud and rock filled with downed tree trunks and other debris.
Since the catastrophic May 18th eruption, there have been periods of "dome growth" at the mountain. The dome currently stands more than 875 feet tall and measures 3,400 feet by 2,800 feet across. Supposedly this dome is growing at a rate of 3 feet in height, as well as substantially in width and length every day. At this rate of growth, it should take about 172 years to grow back to it's original height barring any future blasts of this significance.
The highlight of our visit was the helicopter
Mt. St. Helens - Post 1980
Notice that the north face of the mountain slid down into the valley and the top of the mountain was blown completely off. Mt. St. Helens is one of the Cascade volcanoes, just as the volcanoes that are located in Alaska that compose the "Ring of Fire". The "Ring of Fire" is a notorius zone of volcanoes that produces frequent, often destructive earthquake and volcanic activity. After the eruption the mountain now stands at approximately 8,077 ft. tall. ride up the Toutle riverbed and alongside the crater of Mt. St. Helens. We were able to see the two new lakes caused by the blast as well as Spirit Lake which still contains a log jam more than 2 miles wide and 5 miles long. We were able to look inside the crater and see the new dome as it is currently forming. Elk and other wildlife have returned to the area and hundreds of thousands of trees have been and are currently being planted to replace the ones that were destroyed.
Mt. St. Helens - Pre 1980
Notice the cone shape of the mountain. It stood 9,377 ft.tall before the eruption.
The Eruption
8:32 a.m. Sunday, May 18, 1980 Ash from this eruption blew over 62,000 ft. in the air. It was on my own car in Denver, Colorado, just 3 days after the eruption and three weeks later, it was over the Atlantic Ocean. Yakima, Washington was covered in ash and the sky suddenly grew very dark.
Mt. St. Helens - Post 1980
Notice that the north face of the mountain slid down into the valley and the top of the mountain
Returning from the Helicopter ride
What a ride ! Seeing the entire valley, the riverbed and the volcano from the air was just amazing! was blown off. Mt. St. Helens is one of the Cascade volcanoes, just as the volcanoes that are located in Alaska, that compose the "Ring of Fire".The "Ring of Fire"is a notorius zone of volcanoes that produces frequent, often destructive earthquake and volcanic activity. After the eruption the mountain now stands at aproximately 8,077 ft. tall.
The Helicopter Ride
This was the highlight of the trip so far for us. We flew up the Toutle riverbed and then up to the edge of the volcano and looked into the crater. All of the trees on the mountainsides are all new growth that has been planted in the past 25 years. This entire area was completely void of anything green after the eruption. Everything was gray and covered with dead trees and ash.
Returning from the Helicopter Ride
What a ride !! Seeing the entire valley, the riverbed and volcano from the air was just amazing.
Looking at the active dome from the air
Flying right on the edge of the volcano we could see the active dome spewing steam, ever growing day by day.
The Log Jam on Spirit Lake
Harry Truman, (not the president)a lodge
Looking at the active dome from the air
Flying right on the edge of the volcano we could see the active dome spewing steam, ever growing day by day. owner and resident of Spirit Lake, refused to leave when the area was evacuated. When the blast occurred, the water from Spirit Lake went 700 ft. up the mountainside, the lake bed filled with Logs,ash and hummack (large stones from the mountain). Then the water came back into the lake and the lake level was 200 ft. higher than before. Harry is buried beneath the lake in the 200 ft. of ash. The log jam is said to be some 2 miles wide and nearly 5 miles long.It rests at the back of the lake near the mountains and appears in this picture to be a sandy beach, but it is logs.
The Logs in Spirit Lake
Here are some of the logs in Spirit Lake. Hard to believe they are still here after all these years!
Destruction around the area
The 2,000 loggers who normally worked in this area were off work on Sunday, May 18th. Otherwise the death toll would have been much higher.
More destruction
New highways with eleven bridges in the area have now been reconstructed away from the riverbed and higher up the mountain. The old road was down by the riverbed.
The log jam on spirit lake
Harry Truman, (not the president) a lodge owner and resident of Spirit Lake refused to leave when the area was evacuated. When the blast occurred, the water from Spirit Lake went 700 ft. up the sides of the mountain and the lake bed filled with downed logs, ash and hummack (large rocks from the blast). Then the water came back into the lake and the lake level was 200 feet higher than before. Harry is buried beneath the lake in the 200 ft. of ash from the blast. The log jam is said to be some 2 miles wide and nearly 5 miles long. It rests at the back of the lake near the mountain and appears in this picture to be a sandy beach, but it is thousands of logs in the water. All bridges and roads were destroyed within miles of the mountain.
Just one mountainside of downed trees
When the 600 mph winds and burning steam and rock flew from the blast across the mountains, it downed trees in a 280 sq.mile radius. Here is just one mountainside full of trees. The blast not only ripped the limbs off the trees but it also removed the bark!More than 1,000 workers were involved and more than 600 truckloads of salvaged logs were removed each day! Over 850 million board feet of timber was salvaged - enough lumber to build 85,000 three-bedroom homes.
Twisted , Barkless Tree Trunks
The force of the blast not only removed the limbs and bark from the tree trunks but sent them hurling through the air like arrows looking for a target. Thousands of these spiraled tree trunks and splintered tree stumps dot the landscape.
One of the New Bridges
This is one of the new bridges which was built higher up on the mountainside away from the riverbed.
Mt. St. Helens from Johnston Observatory
This is a shot of the mountain from the Johnston Observatory. Davey Johnston, a volcanologist, was on duty the
The logs in Spirit Lake
Here are some of the logs in Spirit Lake. It is hard to believe they are still here after all these years! day of the eruption. The Johnston Observatory is located directed across the mountain from Mt. St. Helens. His body was never found and the Observatory was destroyed.
A Stunning Picture
This picture was taken looking from the edge of the mountain at Johnston Observatory
Mt. St. Helens
Mt. St. Helens and the riverbed today . You can see the new trees that have been planted. Notice the riverbed and how the hummack, trees and ash are still there today after 27 years! Notice the size of the river today and think of that entire gray area being covered in a 40 mph fast flowing mud and log jam. Some of the ash has hardened like lava.
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