Mt. St. Helens - The Big One!
Feb 20, 2012 15:39:12 #
It was a nice spring morning that Sunday in May, 1980. My hunting dog and I got up early and headed out to Sauvie Island (largest island in the Columbia River), where I often worked my hunting dog. All of a sudden, there it was!
I knew instantly that the mountain was blowing big time. Loading my dog into my rig, I checked and found that I had a camera with me with only two frames of film left on a roll of 35mm. Driving a short distance, I found this site on the island that offered a unique setting. I got out of my old International Scout, setup my tripod and took two quick frames of film.
I have always loved this image in how it shows natures complete extremes. The trees had not yet leafed out; however, they were budding with the essence of spring. The cattle grazing, the volcano, the reflection in the small lake, all come together.
As always, comments and/or questions are more than welcome.
I knew instantly that the mountain was blowing big time. Loading my dog into my rig, I checked and found that I had a camera with me with only two frames of film left on a roll of 35mm. Driving a short distance, I found this site on the island that offered a unique setting. I got out of my old International Scout, setup my tripod and took two quick frames of film.
I have always loved this image in how it shows natures complete extremes. The trees had not yet leafed out; however, they were budding with the essence of spring. The cattle grazing, the volcano, the reflection in the small lake, all come together.
As always, comments and/or questions are more than welcome.
Feb 20, 2012 15:46:56 #
I was stationed at Whidby Island and was deployed at that time. I didn't get back into the area until several months later. I do remember driving up I5 and seeing ash along the side of the highway. Even that got the wheels in my head turning. What power.....
Feb 20, 2012 15:51:47 #
Man! That had to be awesome! What I shot! It is cool the way that the cattle have no clue as to what is going on.
Feb 20, 2012 15:56:40 #
mooseeyes wrote:
It was a nice spring morning that Sunday in May, 1... (show quote)
That is truly a once in a lifetime photo. Well done :thumbup:
Feb 20, 2012 15:58:06 #
Nice photo "mooseeyes"! Way to be in the right place at the right time. May 18, 1980, my birthday and a day I'll never forget. I was livin' in Great Falls, Montana at the time and we heard that Mt. St. Helens had blown her side out. Next day we were heavily layered in ash. Pretty eerie feeling Monday mornin'. Again, nice shot!
Feb 20, 2012 16:27:37 #
I remember that very well. I remember getting up one morning going to work, and there was the smell of something burning in the air. Later that day i heard on the radio that the smell was from Mt. St. Helen...... And i live in Virginia.
Feb 20, 2012 17:05:43 #
Thanks for the comments.
As I recall, by noon that day Spokane, WA was totally dark from the ash. I lived in Lake Oswego, OR at the time. Smaller eariler blasts sent ash, due the winds, our direction. I was at the Oregon coast for the bigger of them; and, when I came home my roof was covered and my gutters filled with ash. Was not fun getting up on the roof and cleaning up. My gutters where actually built into my roof. Some other homes that had more conventional gutters, had their gutters pulled off of their homes, due the weight of the ash. Very dense stuff.
At the time, I printed up a small limited edition of this image, which quickly sold out. Later I printed some more, of which I think I still have a few left in my flat files. I did them 16x20 and 11x14.
The day that the FAA lifted the no-fly zone over Mt. St. Helens, 4 of us rented a small plane and did a fly over, around and almost into the crater and sounding area. Spirit Lake was filled with timber that looked like "Pick Up Sticks" from the air. Got some good photos that I have stored in my files. Maybe someday I will dig them out and scan the film. As I recall, it was myself, the husband of one of my wife's friends (who flew the plane), one of my clients, and my friend Bryan Peterson. It has me thinking that maybe I really do need to find that film and get those images scanned.
A number of years later, I drove up to the new visitor center that is north of the mountain. I have some interesting shots from that trip as well that I need to scan someday. Much of what I shot that day was black & white, and infred film. Some very interesting images.
An interesting fall-out was that those people who had homes and cabins around the base of Mt. Hood couid no longer get insurance, since Mt. Hood is classified as an inactive volcano.
As I recall, by noon that day Spokane, WA was totally dark from the ash. I lived in Lake Oswego, OR at the time. Smaller eariler blasts sent ash, due the winds, our direction. I was at the Oregon coast for the bigger of them; and, when I came home my roof was covered and my gutters filled with ash. Was not fun getting up on the roof and cleaning up. My gutters where actually built into my roof. Some other homes that had more conventional gutters, had their gutters pulled off of their homes, due the weight of the ash. Very dense stuff.
At the time, I printed up a small limited edition of this image, which quickly sold out. Later I printed some more, of which I think I still have a few left in my flat files. I did them 16x20 and 11x14.
The day that the FAA lifted the no-fly zone over Mt. St. Helens, 4 of us rented a small plane and did a fly over, around and almost into the crater and sounding area. Spirit Lake was filled with timber that looked like "Pick Up Sticks" from the air. Got some good photos that I have stored in my files. Maybe someday I will dig them out and scan the film. As I recall, it was myself, the husband of one of my wife's friends (who flew the plane), one of my clients, and my friend Bryan Peterson. It has me thinking that maybe I really do need to find that film and get those images scanned.
A number of years later, I drove up to the new visitor center that is north of the mountain. I have some interesting shots from that trip as well that I need to scan someday. Much of what I shot that day was black & white, and infred film. Some very interesting images.
An interesting fall-out was that those people who had homes and cabins around the base of Mt. Hood couid no longer get insurance, since Mt. Hood is classified as an inactive volcano.
Feb 20, 2012 17:11:53 #
mooseeyes wrote:
Thanks for the comments. br br As I recall, by ... (show quote)
Please, scan them. Post them.
Feb 20, 2012 17:26:01 #
What a piece of history, great shot. Once in a lifetime!! :thumbup:
Feb 20, 2012 21:08:40 #
jkm757 wrote:
Please, scan them. Post them.
I will try and do that. It may be awhile, as I am busy getting pieces ready for a gallery opening on May 1st.
Feb 20, 2012 21:10:27 #
Feb 20, 2012 21:13:55 #
The amazing thing about touring the St HELEN'S NATIONAL PARK is the commentary from the park guides. Who can forget the remark that, "If you stood here you would have lived only [30] seconds after the volcano blew "
Makes you think ! Life is short ! Eat dessert first !!
Makes you think ! Life is short ! Eat dessert first !!
Feb 20, 2012 21:33:09 #
We drove up to the adjacent "Windy Ridge" in 2005. For me, the most memorable part was coming back down the mountain in the dark and fog with a very large chunk of road falling away and the total lack of guard rails. Survival of the fittest, I guess.
Feb 20, 2012 21:57:29 #
Feb 20, 2012 23:32:13 #
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