Historic Hood River
Where Were You?
9-30-2024
Notes
From Madeleine:
Where were you May 18th, 1980? For some of us, the Mount St. Helens eruption may seem like recent history, but in the eyes of Mark Smith, 19 at the time, the Mount St. Helens area now stands as a forgotten gem. After a recent visit to the Eco Park Resort near the flanks of the mountain, I had the pleasure of hearing Mark’s first-person account of the events that unfolded on that fateful day. Mark’s family owned Spirit Lake Lodge–tragically buried under 300 feet of mud and water shortly after the initial blast on May 18th, 1980. Spirit Lake and its surrounding area were quickly inundated by the catastrophic flow that claimed the life of volcanologist David Johnston along with those of 56 others.
It is unclear where this particular sample was collected, but the USGS reported that Mount St. Helens sent ash clear across the globe. If one takes a visit to the mountain today, nearly 45 years later, it is difficult to imagine the sheer devastation inflicted by the most destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the United States. Mount St. Helens is hard at work slowly rebuilding itself, and nature has once again repopulated the area.
kmb
I was in Corvallis finishing my junior year at Oregon State. Barely any ash, it all blew the opposite direction. I had the privilege of staying in the cabins at Spirit Lake Lodge back in the 1970’s. Such a beautiful place, I remember Harry Truman and his boat. I have great memories of this trip and how Spirit Lake used to look pre-eruption. Visited the east shore of the “new” Spirit Lake a few years ago, an interesting but very different experience.
Roger H Sheldrake
Left early in that morning to drive home from Vancouver B.C.. Had to turn around as radio said Toutle River bridge on I-5 was closed. Next day bridge was open to single lane; water and debris up to guardrail level; scary!!
L. E.
One of my children, was a child when the mountain erupted and over the years has watched the rebuilding changes take place around the mountain.
This year, as a science teacher, she took her class on a field trip to the mountain.
They weren’t impressed. They did not see the original beauty of the area, nor the ugly devastation after the eruption. All they see is what it looks like now.
Even earlier photos do not make as much of an impression as actually experiencing the event.
On May 18, 1980 I was standing outside on a blue sky morning hanging clothes on the clothesline. It was a blue sky, but I could hear continual rumbling thunder. The blue sky did not last long.
Jeffrey Bryant
I collected ash on our deck in Hood River from the second eruption of Mt. St. Helens.
Marilyn
I was in Moab Utah and saw it on the news. It was a big shock. I was heartbroken at the loss of life and the absolute devastation. Coming home and seeing the mountain afterwards was an eye opener.
Tomr
I still vividly remember this mountain before the eruption, having climbed it many times, and enjoyed over a decade of annual ski descents in any direction from its symmetrical summit. It was a beautiful, perfect cone of a mountain. It’s instructive to follow its natural rehabilitation over time. Ski descents are not nearly as interesting, though.
Arthur Babitz
I was back East taking an undergraduate course in geophysics, when all the grad students started leaving to study this volcano which was showing signs it was coming back to life.
Melody Shellman
What I remember most was seeing Mt. Adams from 12th and 13th Street for the rest of the spring and summer, absolutely black. Very eerie to my young mind.
BethH
I was on my way home from camping on the Long Beach
Peninsula in my VW campervan- rounded the corner to head east out of Illwaco,
And the little town south of there-On way to Astoria bridge- there it was- a huge plume of smoke rising into the sky. We knew right away what it was- and tuned in the radio to hear reports.
My oldest brother, Ken, was on the summit of Mt Hood that morning- he got some great pictures.
Arlen L sheldrake
Our family viewed the eruption from the Pittock mansion in Portland. A great example of who is in charge. Ash ruined my west hills house gutters. the loss of life is sad!!
Mike Roulier
Working for USEPA at the time in Cincinnati. One of our contractors was up in the Northwest. He sent us a jar of ash (ours was white) and talked about having to clean oil bath air cleaners for auto and truck engines – standard equipment in those days. Now it would be a paper filter, quicker but more expensive to change. Maybe one could just tap the paper filter against the fender to and put it back on the engine.