The Eruption of Mount St. Helens

Located in the Cascade Range and part of the Pacific Ring of Fire the active strata volcano Mountain Helen’s—County Washington, may look peaceful enough now. But climbers have learn not to be complaisant where it is concerned knowing that anytime it's trails may again be close to them like they were after the 18th of 1980.

The volcano’s most infamous eruption causing the deaths of 57 people and 7,000 big game animals were the deadliest volcanic activity ever in the United States. It was also the most economically disruptive events of its kinds with the lost of 250 homes plus the destruction of bridges, roads and railway tracks. And earthquake two months earlier started the seismic activity leading to a 5.1 magnitude quake in the 18th of May. The massive erosions saw the entire North face of the mountain collapse and the resulting direly avalanche was the biggest in recording history.

When it was all over the mountain summit had been reduced by 400 meters to 250 meters. In the years since the 1980 eruption the mountain has continue to change. It was initially left to return to a snap of state but was reopened to climbers by the national foresters since 1987. Seven years later it was again closed when magma reached the volcanoes surface in nearly October. In March 2005 the mountain spit out plume of steam of ash soaring 11,000 meters into the sky that could be seen from Seattle. Archeological survey’s point a human settlement around Mountain Helen for the 6,500 years and numerous volcanic events all we due for an even bigger eruption and the one of May 1980 only time will tell.


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