You’ve probably seen the grainy footage. A gray wall of ash swallowing an entire forest in seconds. It’s the kind of stuff that stays with you. Most people think of the Mount St. Helens Washington volcano as a one-and-done disaster from the 1980s—a tragic history lesson buried under forty years of dust.
But honestly? That’s not the whole story. Not even close.
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Since it literally blew its top on May 18, 1980, this mountain has been one of the most active, weird, and rapidly changing places on Earth. It’s currently January 2026, and if you haven't checked in on "Loowit" lately, you're missing out on a geological soap opera. From a glacier that’s actually growing (yes, inside a volcano) to a road closure that’s making travel a bit of a headache right now, there is a lot to catch up on.
The Morning Everything Changed (and the Part We Forget)
The 1980 eruption wasn't just a "big explosion." It was a sequence of events that defied what geologists thought they knew.
Basically, the mountain didn't just erupt upward. It collapsed sideways. For weeks, a massive "bulge" had been growing on the north flank, pushed out by rising magma at a rate of five feet per day. When a magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit at 8:32 a.m., that entire side of the mountain just... slid away.
It was the largest terrestrial landslide in recorded history.
The debris avalanche traveled at speeds of up to 150 mph. When the weight of that rock was gone, the pressure on the magma inside was released instantly—like popping the cork on a shaken bottle of warm champagne. The resulting lateral blast moved at 300 mph, flattening 230 square miles of old-growth forest.
One person who saw it all was David Johnston, a 30-year-old USGS volcanologist stationed on a ridge five miles away. His final words over the radio were, "Vancouver! Vancouver! This is it!" He didn't survive. Today, the ridge bears his name, though getting there in 2026 is currently a bit of a challenge.
Why You Can't Get to the "Best View" Right Now
If you're planning a trip this year, you need to know this: Johnston Ridge Observatory is closed. In May 2023, a massive landslide triggered by rapid snowmelt took out a huge chunk of Spirit Lake Highway (SR 504). It wasn't just a pothole; it was a catastrophic failure of the road. Because the terrain is so unstable, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has been struggling to fix it.
As of early 2026, the road is still gated off. The current word is that it won't fully reopen until late 2026 or even early 2027.
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Expert Tip: Don't just drive east on Highway 504 hoping to see the crater. You’ll hit a gate long before you reach the observatory. Instead, stop at the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center at Silver Lake or the Forest Learning Center. They are still open and offer great history, but for the "big" views, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
The Growing Glacier (The Ultimate Irony)
Here’s a fact that usually blows people’s minds: Mount St. Helens is home to the youngest glacier on Earth.
It’s called Crater Glacier.
Normally, glaciers are retreating because of climate change. But inside the shaded, north-facing horseshoe of the crater, snow and rock avalanches have piled up so high that they've compressed into ice. Between 2004 and 2008, when the volcano started erupting again (yes, it did that!), the new lava domes actually pushed the glacier aside, splitting it into two "arms" that wrapped around the cooling rock.
It’s a bizarre, cold-meets-hot ecosystem.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Danger
Is it going to blow again? Well, yeah. Probably.
But it won't be like 1980. The 1980 eruption was so violent because the mountain had a "plug" on it. Now that there’s a giant hole in the side, the pressure can’t build up in the same way. Future eruptions will likely be "dome-building" events—thick, pasty lava oozing out and piling up, occasionally accompanied by ash plumes.
The USGS still rates the Mount St. Helens Washington volcano as a "Very High Threat," but that’s because of its proximity to population centers and air travel routes, not because it’s about to explode tomorrow. In fact, right now in early 2026, seismic activity is at "Normal" background levels.
Survival and the "Green Frontier"
Scientists originally thought the blast zone would be a moonscape for a century. They were wrong.
Life came back fast. Gophers survived in their burrows. Fish survived in lakes that were still covered in ice. Today, the "Pumice Plain" is a laboratory of evolution.
- Lupine: These purple flowers were the first to "fix" nitrogen in the sterile ash, making it possible for other plants to grow.
- Elk: Huge herds now roam the blast zone, their hooves breaking up the hard ash crust and letting seeds take root.
- Spirit Lake: It’s still full of thousands of floating logs from 1980, but the water is teeming with life.
How to Actually See it in 2026
Since the main road is out, you have to be a bit more creative.
- The South Side (Ape Cave): This area is still fully accessible. You can walk through a 2,000-year-old lava tube. It’s cool (literally, it's always 42°F), but you need a reservation and a Northwest Forest Pass.
- The East Side (Windy Ridge): If you want to see the crater and Spirit Lake, this is your best bet. It’s a long, winding drive on Forest Service roads that are often closed by snow until July. Check the status before you go.
- The Summit Climb: You can still climb to the rim! You need a permit from Recreation.gov. It’s a grueling, 5-mile trek over boulders and ash. It’s basically like walking up a giant sand dune.
What You'll Need for a 2026 Visit
If you're hiking, the ash is no joke. It's basically powdered glass. It’ll shred your boots and irritate your lungs if it’s a windy day.
- Gaiters: Essential to keep the "cinder" out of your shoes.
- Garden Gloves: If you're doing the Monitor Ridge route, the rocks are sharp. You'll thank me later.
- Water: There is ZERO water on the climbing routes. Bring at least 3 liters.
Your Next Steps
The Mount St. Helens Washington volcano isn't just a monument to a bad day in the 80s; it's a living, breathing landscape that changes every time it rains.
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- Check the Road Status: Before you head out, visit the WSDOT website to see if the SR 504 repairs have reached a point where temporary access is allowed.
- Book Your Permits Early: If you want to summit between April and October, permits usually sell out within minutes of being released on the first of the month.
- Visit the South Side: If you have kids, the "Trail of Two Forests" is a boardwalk that lets you see "lava casts" of ancient trees—it's much easier than the crater hikes.
The mountain is still there. It's just a little harder to get to right now, which honestly, makes the view even better when you finally see it.
Actionable Insight: If you're looking for the best "bang for your buck" view without the Johnston Ridge access, head to Windy Ridge Viewpoint on the east side via FR-99. You’ll get a clear look at the "hummocks" (the pieces of the mountain that landed in the valley) and the massive log mat on Spirit Lake. Just be prepared for a 3-hour drive from Portland or Seattle.