Washington: Mount Saint Helens
16 images Created 1 Feb 2011
Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument, Skamania County, Washington, USA:
Spirit Lake is covered with floating logs from a forest blasted and avalanched by the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens, the most deadly and destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. The debris avalanche, the largest in recorded history, shrank the mountain from 9677 feet (2950 m) elevation to 8364 feet (2550 m), leaving a mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater. Fifty-seven people were killed. 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. The active stratovolcano of Mount Saint Helens is one of 160 active volcanoes that comprise the Pacific Ring of Fire. Located in the Cascade Range, Mt. St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, who was a friend of George Vancouver, an explorer who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. As the crow flies, Mount St. Helens is 96 miles (154 km) south of the city of Seattle and 53 miles (85 km) northeast of Portland.
Spirit Lake is covered with floating logs from a forest blasted and avalanched by the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens, the most deadly and destructive volcanic event in the history of the United States. The debris avalanche, the largest in recorded history, shrank the mountain from 9677 feet (2950 m) elevation to 8364 feet (2550 m), leaving a mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater. Fifty-seven people were killed. 250 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. The active stratovolcano of Mount Saint Helens is one of 160 active volcanoes that comprise the Pacific Ring of Fire. Located in the Cascade Range, Mt. St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, who was a friend of George Vancouver, an explorer who surveyed the area in the late 18th century. As the crow flies, Mount St. Helens is 96 miles (154 km) south of the city of Seattle and 53 miles (85 km) northeast of Portland.
