On May 18, 1980, at 8:32 a.m., Mount St. Helens erupted violently. An earthquake of magnitude five triggered one of the world's largest recorded landslides. During this avalanche, more than 1,300 feet of the mountain's top cascaded into the Toutle River Valley below. The massive landslide released a powerful, laterally-directed blast, destroying 150,000 square acres of forests and killing every living thing above ground. Mudflows caused by melting snow and ice mixed with ash and trees, choked the Toutle, Cowlitz and Columbia Rivers, killing the salmon and steelhead. When it was over, 57 people had perished and the area resembled a moonscape.
Photo by Kyle S. Smith. A northeast view of the volcano. The profile shows the location of the former summit and today's rebuilding dome. The eruption blew off over 1,300 feet of the volcano's cone, leaving a crater 1 mile wide, 2 miles long and 2,200 feet deep. The volcano's height is 8,365 feet, formerly 9,677 feet.
 
Nearly two decades later, the land blooms once again. Fish swim in the rivers and lakes. Wildflowers again bend to mountain breezes. Elk and deer abound in the hills. Thanks to the planning and cooperative efforts of the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Weyerhaeuser and many private organizations, the story of this fateful eruption will be remembered and told.
Congress established the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument to allow for the natural recovery of the land and provide opportunities for research, recreation and education.
 
The Cold Water Lake is not to far from Spirit Lake and the Johnston Ridge Observatory. This beautiful lake is accessible by road....no hiking.
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