Mount St. Helens Eruption (PHOTOS): National Geographic Marks Its 30th Anniversary

On May 18, 1980, Washington's Mount St. Helens erupted, sending a debris avalanche of more than 3 billion cubic yards into nearby Spirit Lake, wiping away virtually all evidence of human and animal life. Three decades later, the current issue of National Geographic magazine marks the anniversary of the deadliest volcanic event ever in the United States with a story of rebirth and renewal on the mountain. We've teamed with National Geographic to bring you stunning images from the 1980 eruption and today's reborn landscape. National Geographic's website shares an interactive map of the blast zone, an interview with the mag's Editor in Chief, and a gallery of additional images.

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Early colonists bloom on a hill near the volcanic monument's Coldwater Lake: foxglove, lupine, pearly everlasting, red alder. The tree stump is a reminder of pre-1980 logging operations. See more here.

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Early colonists bloom on a hill near the volcanic monument's Coldwater Lake: foxglove, lupine, pearly everlasting, red alder. The tree stump is a reminder of pre-1980 logging operations. See more here.

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Comments

[KathyBellant]

07:35 PM on 05/25/2010

That summer was the darkest I can ever remember. We wore masks everywhere and had toilet paper wrapped around our car air filter. We watched the May 18 eruption from sister in laws balcony in Troutdale Oregon. It was amazing. For the June eruption we were at a Grateful Dead concert in Portland and of course they played "Fire on the Mountain". When we went to see the devastation a year or two later it was surreal. Photos couldn't do it justice. Thousands of downed trees without even bark. Nothing remained of anything. Nature is incredible.

[Reddogtcb]

12:03 AM on 05/20/2010

Beautiful area of the country for sure.

[rdweatherly]

11:22 PM on 05/19/2010

I wasn't even 5 years old when Mount St Helens blew, but I remember it so clearly. I remember watching it on TV. My most vivid memory is of an interview with an old man who'd lived on the mountain all his life, and he refused to leave his home because of the danger. He was one of the casualties. I remember thinking there had to be something wrong with him to stay there when that mountain was going to kill him. I can't believe it's been 30 years.

It amazing to see the pictures of the recovering ecosystem. Life truly does find a way.

[ernestohem]

02:09 PM on 05/19/2010

Makes you wonder why people go to hotels right next to volcanoes...

http://blogs.nokia.com/ovimapsexplorer/north-america/the-worlds-only-volcano-hotel/

[goodpyr]

01:55 AM on 05/19/2010

If Mt.Rainier goes,toss back a few for me.We live about 25 miles away,as the crow flies.
My property,which being finished at the time Mt St Helens blew,was covered in ash.
We moved in a month later.

[G52]

08:58 PM on 05/18/2010

Baker is the one that worries me! From the lake you can see steam plumes puffing from the crater.
Rainier is very old and unstable rock, probably more danger from massive mudflows and rock from the huge glacial system it has and its location. Helens could go any time, it and Adams are somewhat remote!

[dougdl]

05:53 PM on 05/18/2010

I was living in northeast Iowa, 2000 miles from the blast. In the days that followed, my car was sprinkled with ash.

[MFM008]

05:51 PM on 05/18/2010

The scary one will be Mt Ranier, it could devestate Western Washington. You cant go outside on a clear day without it looming in your face. Its beautiful though.

[MFM008]

05:47 PM on 05/18/2010

30 years ago today I woke up to exactly what i woke up today. Rain overcast and cant see crap out. In a few days the ash had moved in and everyone was washing down drives, cars etc. I saw the Mt erupt the second time in real time, tripped while looking up and ended up in the hospital....a real mountineer I am.
You could see the lightning flashing all over the area.
30 years ago. Wow.

[hardlyhikin]

05:04 PM on 05/18/2010

Any pictures of pre-eruption MSH? Just fyi, when I was a boy in the mid 50's, Mt. St. Helens was known as Mt. St. Helena, I'm not sure when the name changed.

Also, does anyone know how MSH compares to the Iceland eruption? Sorry, I'm not going to even try to spell that one!

[Travel Guides]

02:22 PM on 05/18/2010

Here's a unique perspective on Mt St Helens from the edge of the crater.
http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/washington/mt-st-helens

This 360 virtual tour was taken two years ago in the summer.
Spin around and see the entire mountain.

[hardlyhikin]

05:07 PM on 05/18/2010

Very cool, thanks!

[MFM008]

05:44 PM on 05/18/2010

Here's a unique perspective on Mt St Helens from the edge of the crater.
http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/washington/mt-st-helens
cool thanks for the link.

[LMPE]

01:40 PM on 05/18/2010

My parents have told me their memories of the blast (I wasn't born yet).

[G52]

08:50 PM on 05/18/2010

After a 13 hour shift, I collapsed and did not even hear it although most everyone else in the state did!

[Rebecca Gerendasy]

12:08 PM on 05/18/2010

I was a young video journalist then, working at the local tv station, KOIN. The ash gushed forth for days on end, and we flew around it (in a helicopter) quite often - not sure it was the smartest thing to do, but it's what we did, nonetheless. The landscape looked more like a moonscape from up there. It caused so much destruction, but, oddly, there was a beauty in what was left. Looking back, I still consider it one of the top stories I've ever covered.

[Roses]

01:01 PM on 05/18/2010

I couldn't believe what it looked like when I traveled there in a car 3 years after the blast. It was a total moonscape! It looks so different now.

[delvis]

12:07 PM on 05/18/2010

I was in Anacortes, Wa. outside and I remember this boom-boom from the south. It seems so long ago

[ancientmarinader]

11:54 AM on 05/18/2010

There's a great 3 day hike around the mountain you can do. Takes you right through the pumice plain on the north side and through the various damage zones on the sides.

The hike to the rim is a half-day sort of thing.