Washington - Mount St. Helens, National Volcanic Monument (Set of 6 Postcards)

Mount St. Helens

National Volcanic Monument

At Mount St. Helens we have a unique opportunity to view the working of nature first hand.  We can see where the gaping crater and dome remain from the May 18, 1980 eruption.  But a closer inspection, we can also see plants and animals having survived the fury.  From an environment having had the appearance of a lifeless moonscape, nature is working quickly in changing the landscape to flourishing islands of survival.

Photographer - Mark Turner

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Wildflowers lend color and fragrance to the view of Mount St. Helens from Lahar Viewpoint, south of the volcano.

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For more than a century, prior to the eruption of May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens stood as a majestic dormant volcano in the cascade range of Washington.  Visitors enjoyed the tranquil beauty of the mountain where hiking, camping, fishing, and relaxing were favorite activities. 

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Mount St. Helens towers majestically above Spirit Lake Prior to the massive eruption May 18, 1980.

Photographer - Ray Atkeson
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From the north, the changing landscape of Mount St. Helens displays the awesome power of the earth to tear down and rebuild along with the amazing tenacity of life to survive and renew.

Photo - U.S. Geological Survey / Lyn Topinka
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On the Morning of My 18, 1980, a 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook Mount St. Helens, and the north flank of the mountain avalanched downward.  A powerful lateral eruption blasted to the North, and a vertical eruption carried ash more than 12 miles into the air.  The eruption continued into late afternoon as mudflows and pyroclastic flows (mixtures of hot glass, ash and pumice) flowed down the flanks of the volcano.

Photo - U.S. Geological Survey