I was just barely 4 years old and living in Mountain View, Wyoming when Mount St. Helens erupted, but it’s one of those events I’ve always “remembered”, even without being actually present. My grandparents were living in Seattle and sent down a newspaper which I still have around here somewhere… Having lived in the PNW for most of my life now, it’s a part of the history and culture of the area, and even more so with my interest in climbing history. From my father’s memorable sunburn on a summer ascent and our shared summit in 1994 with my scout troop, to seeing the mountain on a daily basis when we lived in Vancouver, it’s just always been there – along with the knowledge of how unimaginably powerful she was that day 30 years ago.
Some links to browse:
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Boston Globe’s Big Picture: Mount St. Helens, 30 Years Ago
Spokesman Review Retrospective