SFR Mt St Helens - 45 Year Anniversary

Sorta fishing-related
I was doing my undergrad at CWU. Went to the lower Yakima canyon and watched a couple of guys pass.me.in a canoe. The mountain has already blown and I was watching what I assumed was a huge thunderstorm heading my way. Went home then everything got dark about noon and I heard how the mountain had blown. It stayed dark until the next morning. I always have wondered about the guys on the float.
 
DimeBrite said:


May 18th is coming up, and I watched this old news clip from the big eruption. It was such an iconic moment for PNW residents. The old video clips of resue helicopters flying over a gray moonscape and houses ripping down the Toutle River lahar are stunning. I was thrilled about the eruption as a child and wanted to see it up close. In 1986 the area was opened to visitors and I finally saw the massive damage in person. The original new lava dome was still steaming, fresh as a dung pile. In the 2000s I hiked up there several times. The most interesting was during the 2004-2008 dome building "eruption". Sitting on the summit rim in 2006 I could feel the mountain tremble as massive lobes of andesite rock slowly extruded. I'm amazed how quickly the vegetation, fish and wildlife bounced back. If you haven't done it yet, sign up for a climbing pass and go hike the mountain!

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I had given up fishing for that year due to very warm surface temps and weeds that were already growing to the surface. Things cooled down, I acquired a face mask, went fishing in <65 degree surface temps, and caught a few fish. Also mad a trip to MT that year and hobbled back home with a semi-clogged air filter. Unfortunately it sounds like the folks that provide us with early warnings were dogested.
 
My buddy and I were partying with friends at WSU…..music, kegs at Boyer park on the Snake river when they shut the tunes off and said volcanic ashes heading our way. By the time we got back to Pullman, it was pitch black! (Afternoon) Then a little later it looked like it was snowing light powder snow….in the morning there was around 4”-5” on the ground. Everything was shut down, freeways, airports and I was supposed to be home signing closing papers on my house! After a few days, we headed out on backroads through Idaho to try to get home. Fortunately we were in my friends new 280Z…..I had a Capri back then, his car had a great air filter system so it didn’t ruin his engine…..my beater would still be on the side of the road! Needless to say, what an experience! So St Helens marks the anniversary of still living in this house 45 years now!
 
Much like the moon landing, the Mt. St. Helens eruption is nothing but a hoax.
 
Four of us were digging razor clams at Copalis Beach when St Helens blew. We stopped at I believe was the Green Lantern tavern for beers where we saw on tv that the eruption had occured. I was fortunate to have been able to fish the Toutle and Green for about 5 years for Summer runs. I dont think that i ever missed a day without hooking at least one fish. Somedays never seeing another angler.
 
The first time it blew, I was at home in Burien. Sounded like a car went through the garage door and hit the house. Don't ask me how I know what that sounds like....

I was at Ocean Shores the second time it blew. A group of us sports car enthusiasts went there knowing the winds always blow away from the ocean. Little did we know... Work up Sunday morning, it was raining down mud. &^%$##@%$%^&. We decided to go home. Insurance covered the paint job and rebuilding of my Datsun 2000 engine.
 
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