Mt. St. Helens erupted at 8:32 in the morning on May 18th, 1980. The North side of the mountain collapsed in a lateral blast, creating the largest landslide in recorded human history. The sediment caused mudflows and dangerous lahars which followed down the Toutle River. When the vertical eruption began, the east wind carried the ash into Eastern Washington and Oregon, turning day into night in cities such as Yakima.
The tragedy increased the amount of study put into Cascade volcanoes. After St. Helens erupted, many volcanoes previously classified as extinct were relabeled as dormant. Everyone who lives in the shadows of the Cascade range lives with sleeping giants.
I live in northern Oregon, near Mt. Hood. From an early age, I was fascinated by the mountains. My mother grew up in St. Helens, Oregon (nowhere near Mt. St. Helens, but they were able to see the mountain erupt from a safe distance.)
As we look at the beauty our mountains provide us, we must also remember the danger. Mt. Hood and St. Helens have erupted together in the past. When Rainier erupts, geological records show us it releases all its fury. And Rainier has the most glaciers and snow of any Cascade volcano, increasing the likelihood of dangerous lahars, the fastest moving volcanic danger.
Several years ago, I was told a story. A congressman from the East Coast was trying to reduce the national budget. He asked why we were spending so much money on researching volcanoes when they didn't seem to pose a threat to us. A congressman from a Western state stood up and answered him.
"I don't know if you remember David Johnston's last words, but I do. Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it!"
The issue had to be dropped. It was made clear that almost no representative or senator from the West Coast would support that budget cut.
Research into these sleeping giants is incredibly important. Too many of these volcanoes lay sleeping, and can awaken without warning. Evacuation areas during the buildup to the Mt. St. Helens eruption were smaller than the actual radius of the blast.
57 people died when Mt. St. Helens blew because we didn't understand the fury of these beasts.
How many people will we lose when Rainier blows?