Mount St Helens

The eruption of Mount St Helens, in the south-west of Washington State, on May 18th 1980 made headlines around the world. A cloud of ash rose 13 mi. into the air, almost 150 sq. mi. of forest were destroyed, houses were overwhelmed by masses of water and mud, and 57 people lost their lives. The mountain itself lost 1300 ft in height, and in place of its summit there is now a crater over 2000 ft deep, down into which it is possible to look from the Johnston Ridge Observatory. In the area around the volcano, which was declared a National Monument in 1982, visitors are given a unique demonstration of the destructive power of the eruption and can observe the gradual return of animal and plant life. The eruption and its effects are explained in the Information Center in Seaquest State Park.