Mount St Helens 38 years on

I can remember the news coverage of the massive volcanic eruption of Mount St Helens very well. It was in May 1980 and, while an eruption was known to be imminent, nobody expected the whole side of the mountain to explode, which is exactly what happened. Sadly this led to some loss of life, although fortunately the majority of people nearby had been evacuated in time.

On Monday James and I made the two hour trip from Portland into Washington State to see Mount St Helens at first hand. We were absolutely amazed by what we saw. Even after thirty eight years, the trees which were scattered like nine pins over the hillside are still lying there, and the slopes of the mountain are still covered with ash. However there is also lots of new growth of trees and bushes, and the wildflowers are bright reds and purples. You can still see the huge hollow of the explosion on the side of the mountain. The crater is full of snow with a new glacier forming.  James and I walked the Boundary Trail, an undulating 10 km round trip, which had fantastic views of the mountain and the surrounding devastation caused by the eruption. When the explosion happened, the blast rolled over the ridge within two minutes like a rollercoaster of destruction. James extended his walk up to Harry’s Ridge, from where he could see over into Spirit Lake.
It was a really good hike and we both loved it. Before we left the car park at the visitors’ centre we both made use of the portable toilets which were called “Honey Buckets.” Without going into any details, they were not aptly named.
On our way back to Portland, we passed a motel called Mount St Helens. Their sign added “Hope you had a blast!"