The 1980 Eruption of Mt. St. Helens

On March 27, 1980 St. Helens suddenly began to erupt steam and ash. These eruptions continued sporadically for the next seven weeks and Dr. Easterbrook made frequent flights to the mountain to observe the eruptive activity. On May 18, 1980, he flew to St Helens at 5:30 a.m. and flew in tight circles a few hundred feet above the summit crater for 2-1/2 hours, photographing the summit crater and bulging north flank of the mountain. St. Helens was unusually quiet, so a little after8:00 a.m. he...