Mount St. Helens

Mount St. Helens erupted on May 18, 1980. I was in high school at the time. I visited the site ten years later, when I attended my first NACAA meeting in Seattle. I visited Mount St. Helens again, almost 20 years later (in 2009). Another NACAA meeting. This one in Portland. In both cases, my travel companions were fellow county agents.

-- 1990 --

Established in 1982

Devastation

Eerie

Rebirth

-- 2009 --

(L-R) John, Stan, me, Jeff and Willie

Almost 30 years later

After its 1980 eruption, the volcano experienced continuous volcanic activity until 2008. Geologists predict that future eruptions will be more destructive.  

Cascade range

In 1980, I attended National 4-H Congress in Chicago. Delegates to the Congress shared little mementos of their states. The kids from Washington State handed out little baggies of volcanic ash from Mount St. Helens.  I kept it all these years.

Written 16 Jan 2026