The eruption of Mount St. Helens
in 1980 changed the face of the land. Before the eruption, the area
around the mountain was renowned for its pristine natural beauty.
The eruption of Mount St. Helens
in 1980 changed the face of the land. Before the eruption, the area
around the mountain was renowned for its pristine natural beauty.
The Spirit Lake basin was
blanketed with ancient forests.
The tree rings of these huge 800
year-old trees show evidence of eruptions that date back before the time
of the Europeans arrival in the Americas.
A few research sites existed
before 1980. They showed a healthy, vigorous forest, growing on the rich
volcanic soils typical of the Pacific Northwest.
Please see Snapshots in Time for before and after images of the research sites.
Under the dense canopy, ...
huckleberries, ...
ferns, and ...
mosses grew. A wide variety of
animals lived here.
Above Spirit Lake, the alpine
meadows on the mountain were slowly being overtaken by trees.
The alpine meadows supported a
wide variety of wildflowers and gnarled trees.
Mountain goats were transplanted
from the Olympic Peninsula. They were well known for their aggressive
ways. Sometimes they butted hikers right down the mountain.
When people remember Spirit
Lake, they always mention how clear it was. They say you could see
"straight to the bottom."
Fed by snow and glacial melt, the
lake's temperature was normally below 55 degrees Fahrenheit year round.
The many types of microscopic plants and animals that fish eat, did not
do well in this cold water.
Because of this, the fish that
were stocked never managed to become a self-sustaining population.
Some people will tell you that
Spirit Lake was overflowing with fish. However, catch records indicate
that it was just average for the Northwest.
Those who visited Mount St.
Helens before 1980, were always impressed by its natural beauty.
Plants and Animals, Before
Plants and Animals
Mount St. Helens
To VolcanoWorld