Washington has five volcanoes that are listed as high or very high threat potential: Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams. These volcanoes are part of the Cascade Range, a 1,200-mile line of volcanoes from British Columbia to northern California. Our explore brought us to two of the five (which was enough- yikes).

Here we were also able to step into a model of the volcano and see a functioning seismograph, showing a live feed of the current Mount St. Helens volcano seismicity. Yikes.

The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument was established in 1982 to designate 110,000 acres around Mount St Helens for research, recreation, and education. Within its boundaries, the area that was impacted by the cataclysmic eruption of May 18, 1980 is left to respond naturally to all environmental factors.

Here we got up close to the results of events that happened from March 16 to May 18 in 1980... a series of earthquakes, steam explosions, and small eruptions at the summit which signaled a new eruptive phase of the volcano. By mid-April of 1980, a large bulge of new volcanic material had formed on the north flank of the mountain and moved outward at an average rate of ~5 feet per day.

On May 18th, the cataclysmic eruption was triggered by a magnitude 5.1 earthquake. The bulge collapsed in a series of three massive slide blocks. This bulge collapse generated a chain reaction, starting with the largest avalanche in recorded history (0.6 cubic miles of material, reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour). The removal of this material decreased the pressure holding back the magma and caused the sudden release of gas, large rocks, and smaller particles to move across the landscape and destroyed most vegetation at an astounding speed of 650 miles per hour. This initial blast caused major lahar flows, pyroclastic flows, and an ash eruption that formed a eruption column that grew to 12 miles high and 45 miles across.

In addition to ash, pyroclastic flows and lahars traveled swiftly across the Pumice Plain and down the North Fork Toutle and Cowlitz Rivers, destroying houses and bridges along the way. In addition, 57 people perished as well.

Even now, we saw geothermal evidence of the volcano's restlessness.

I found a display on New Beginnings hopeful.

"It is important to remember that volcanoes have always been important forces which help to shape and form the face of the earth. Even through the acts of apparent destruction, creation occurs. New rock is formed, building up the planet's surface. If it were not for ashfall from centuries of previous eruptions, Washington's Yakima Valley would not have the rich and fertile soil it has."

After a restorative night in the forest, we headed to volcano #2. What a difference!

Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape.

"An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning five major rivers. Subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems. A lifetime of discovery awaits."

After hiking around in Mount Rainier's beauty, we realized just how much devastation Mount St. Helens suffered. This was Mount St. Helens just 42 years ago. That realization was incredibly sad and powerful and made us appreciate it even more so.

“The mountain receives our expressions and becomes part of us;

we imprint our memories upon it

and trust it with out dearest divisions of out lives.

Mt. Rainier does not exist under our feet.

Mt. Rainier lives in our minds”

― Bruce Barcott