Mount St. Helens

Remembering an eruption

Do you remember May 18, 1980? The stories below were submitted by members of our community; if you have stories or photographs about Mount St. Helens before, during, or after the eruption, we'd love to have them.

share your story of May 18, 1980

A post-nap surprise

Spokane preschooler woke up to several inches of ash outside.

A paper boy's Sunday to remember

"It was surreal that this was happening in my backyard."

"How would they get home?"

Birthday blast meant logistical nightmare for nursing seminar's program chairman, attendees.

The weirdest snow day ever

"Even though I was only 3, and had only turned 3 on the 2nd of May, the whole scenario felt wrong. "

Racing roadblocks for film

Couple used an old logging road on Cinnamon Peak to get a spectacular view of the May 18 eruption.

An anniversary date to remember

"I told my husband he sure had a big way of celebrating our first anniversary, and what could he do to top that for the second?"

Writer weaves tale around May 18, 1980, eruption

"Tenderfoot" is a romantic suspense novel with a sub-plot of the eruption.

Her husband survived brush with death

Camping site in the "safe" zone turned out to be in the blast zone.

An eruption? "Yeah, right Dad."

Skeptical teenager sees history from her yard.

"A very strange and unforgettable day"

Ash fallout intercepts married couple on drive back home from Spokane.

Capturing an eruption on tape

Man recorded distant booms caused by the eruption while living on the Oregon Coast.

From shoveling manure - to shoveling ash

Farm life doesn't stop just because a volcano is erupting nearby.

Will the ash hurt the baby?

" I kept wondering if anyone knew what damage it would do to a little baby. It's not like volcanoes erupt very often! We tied a cloth diaper bandit style (think bad cowboys) over his little face."