October 20, 2017 | Cannon Beach Gazette | cannonbeachgazette.com • 7A
In the shadow of
MOUNT ST. HELENS
Cabin was six miles from
site of volcanic eruption
By Rebecca Herren
Cannon Beach Gazette
The volcanic eruption of Mount St. Hel-
ens devastated the Pacifi c Northwest on May
18, 1980, taking lives, destroying homes, for-
estland and wildlife. Since the 1980 eruption,
Mount St. Helens has been the most studied
volcano in the world.
Christine Colasurdo, author of “Return to
Spirit Lake,” recounts how the eruption per-
manently changed her plans from living and
working at Spirit Lake. Through a slideshow
displaying photos of pre- and post-eruption,
Colasurdo gave her presentation of “Mount
St. Helens: A Welcome Journey Through 40
Years of Change” to a standing-room only
audience on Oct. 7 at the Cannon Beach Li-
brary as part of the Northwest Author Series.
Colasurdo had many childhood memo-
ries of camping, hiking and working at Spir-
it Lake, as she recalls in her book. In 1977,
her parents bought a cabin “located about six
miles from the volcano,” she said, showing
a slide of the cabin situated at the foot of
Mount St. Helens just off the banks on the
north fork of the Toutle River.
Recalling the events from that day, Cola-
surdo explained that in the spring of 1980, the
area next to Goat Rocks started to swell. “So
what happened on May 18, 1980 is the moun-
tain fell apart,” she said. “A giant landslide,
actually the largest landslide ever witnessed
by humans, slid down into the Toutle River
valley. My family’s cabin was in a direct line
of that and the cabin was estimated to be un-
der 600 feet of mountain top.”
Before the blast, the summit peaked at
9,677 feet and was the fi fth highest mountain
in Washington. The lateral blast removed the
upper 1,300 feet, leaving a horseshoe-shaped
crater.
“The scale of change at Mount St. Helens
is almost beyond comprehension,” she said,
showing areas of the landscape covered by
avalanche debris. “Hikers who now walk the
Hummocks Trail are hiking the summit. You
are walking on the mountain top — you are
literally walking on the volcano when you
walk the Hummocks Trail.”
Considerable changes have occurred to the
landscape post-1980 eruption. She explained
how the topography has varied. Ponds and
lakes have formed, and what was once an old
growth Douglas fi r forest affected by previ-
ous eruptions, was now cottonwood. “Soon
after the eruption, beavers made their way up
creating dams, alders and cottonwood grew,
and now it has become a closed canopy cot-
tonwood forest.”
In a 1978 scholarly paper written by U.S.
Geological Survey scientist Dr. Dwight Cran-
dell and USGS geologist Don Mullineaux,
the two had pieced together evidence of reg-
ular eruptions (about every 150 years), warn-
ing that the restless volcano was primed to
erupt before the turn of the century. But, “no
one paid any attention to them,” Colasurdo
said.
“The amazing thing about Mullineaux and
Crandell is that they predicted every single
thing that happened on May 18. Except, the
one thing they missed was the lateral blast,”
which was the primary cause for loss of life.
Many who died were those camping outside
of the red zone that was thought to be rela-
tively safe. “The lateral blast came over the
landscape in 10 minutes — super fast and su-
per hot,” she said.
Mount St. Helens is 40,000 years old;
making it is the youngest and most active
volcano among the Cascades, Colasurdo
said. Its summit cone — known as a compos-
ite or stratovolcano — was formed through
four eruptive stages 275,000 years ago. The
modern day cone (pre-1980) was constructed
during the last 3,000 years.
Composite volcanoes are more inclined
to erupt explosively and pose considerable
danger to life and property, as was the case
with Mount St. Helens primarily due to the
lateral blast.
Just days afterward, the volcanic ash cloud
drifted east across the United States and cir-
cumvented the globe in two weeks.
Through the zones of devastation, there
are new growth forests, new lake formations,
changing fl ora and fauna, and glaciers disap-
peared. But, according to Colasurdo, “In this
time of climate change and global warming,
Mount St. Helens has a new glacier that’s ac-
tually growing in the Cascade Range.” Locat-
ed near the lava dome, the geological survey
named it Crater Glacier.
REBECCA HERREN/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Christine Colasurdo donated a portion of all sales of her book to
the Cannon Beach Library. Here, she signs her book “Return to
Spirit Lake” for an avid fan.
REBECCA HERREN/CANNON BEACH GAZETTE
Christine Colasurdo gives a reading of her book “Return to Spirit
Lake” on Oct. 7. Her presentation explaining the aft er-eff ects of the
May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens was part of the North-
west Author Series at the Cannon Beach Library.
PHOTO USGS
................................ ........................................... . ..
Medicare benefi ts like these
have our members talking...
“I pay no premiums or deductibles - there are no surprises
and no hidden costs. They take care of everything for me.”
~ Karen D., Beaverton, OR
WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!
This umbrella is yours FREE just for
meeting with us! There’s no obligation.
Call 877-232-8192 (TTY: 711)
Great benefi ts. Great service. What more could you ask for?
When you ask around, you’ll fi nd that with FamilyCare Health you also get:
• A local Medicare plan designed for the needs of Oregonians
• Quality benefi ts that are good for your health, and your fi nances
• A non-profi t Medicare plan focused on your care, not your wallet
Don’t wait! A few minutes today can save you money all next year.
Call 877-232-8192 (TTY: 711)
for a personal in-home meeting.
8 a.m.-8 p.m. 7 days a week
We’ll bring your umbrella with us. There’s no obligation.
2018 FamilyCare
Advantage Rx (HMO)
0
$
0
$
0
$
0
$
0
$
0
$
Monthly Plan Premium
Medical Deductible
Primary Care Doctor Copay
Tier 1 Drug Copay
Routine Eye Exams
Preventive Services
And Much More!
FamilyCare Advantage Rx (HMO) is a Medicare Advantage HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in
FamilyCare Advantage Rx (HMO) depends on contract renewal. This information is not a complete description of
benefi ts. Contact the plan for more information. Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply. Benefi ts,
premiums and/or copayments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. You must continue to pay
your Medicare Part B premium. Free drawing without obligation. Offer valid while supplies last. FamilyCare
Health complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, or sex. ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de
asistencia lingüística. Llame al 866-798-2273 (TTY/TDD:711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ
hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 866-798-2273 (TTY/TDD: 711). Y0103_ADV_00389 Accepted