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Mount St. Helens Day Today
Horse Plains Drifter
Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 39,430 ***** Forums Admin
May 18, 1980......Hard to believe it's been 42 years. Time sure has marched on. I guess I'm old now. 57 people perished in that blast. About ten years ago I became acquainted with a fella who lost a brother in that eruption. He was a timber faller, and was down there doing what timber fallers do. They found his pickup, but never any sign or him. Merlinnv12 flew his airplane over the mountain and took some pictures. Maybe he'll post them up again.
Here is a video of the eruption: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fArB5Jz2wos
Here is a picture my wife took when she was a child. We have determined that this must be the second eruption which occurred a week after the first and major eruption.
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I have recently become fascinated with a YouTube channel called GeologyHub which discusses volcanoes, impact craters and many other items of geologic interest. His current weekly report says there are now 51 erupting volcanoes on the planet, with a couple more ready to blow. Some of them potentially huge and dangerous.
Here ya go, HPD!
I was three months old when it popped. A cousin of mine, who made his living as a volcanologist, spent a lot of time on St. Helens. As I understand it, he worked alongside David Johnston often, and was one of the last people to see him alive.
Living in Rapid City SD during the time. Westerly winds brought the ash. Visibility at times was less than a mile. Aircraft would not fly as well for a time. Could not imagine how it would be when Krakatoa erupted over 200 years ago. Geologists said Krakatoa was close to 500 times greater.
It was such a huge event for the local people. I think we are still seeing the effects of it.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
It was a dark day for Washington State.
Brad Steele
I was there (on an extended road trip) for a subsequent eruption about two weeks later. Sat on an adjacent mountaintop looking at the crater for two days hoping to see some activity. Gave up and headed out and about 30 minutes later it blew a second time. Turned around and headed back to see the ash clouds. Quite a sight, like somebody emptied burned out charcoal barbeque over everything several inches deep. I still have a bag of ash I saved as a souviner.
I remember it well and not imagine being close by knowing your life is about to end
I recall one interview with a older fellow refused to leave his home and well he never has may they all RIP
I was offered a job in White River in 1979, did not feel right about it. Accepted one in Wyoming instead.
Glad that I did, would have been living in the area of destruction .
Garden planted, snow this morning.
Harry Truman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_R._Truman