Mount St. Helens, Stratovolcano in Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Washington, US.
Mount St. Helens features a horseshoe-shaped crater at 2549 meters elevation, formed by the massive 1980 eruption that removed its conical peak.
The catastrophic eruption of May 18, 1980 destroyed 200 homes, 47 bridges, and 185 miles of highway, marking the most destructive volcanic event in US history.
Indigenous Cowlitz people named the mountain Lawetlat'la, while the Klickitat referred to it as Loowit, creating rich native narratives about its formation.
The Johnston Ridge Observatory, located 5 miles from the volcano, provides direct views of the crater, lava dome, and pumice plain throughout the year.
The 1980 lateral blast reached temperatures of 350°C and speeds of 500 kilometers per hour, affecting an area of 200 square miles within minutes.
Location: Washington
Elevation above the sea: 2,549 m
Made from material: dacite
GPS coordinates: 46.19139,-122.19553
Latest update: November 26, 2025 09:50
This collection brings together active volcanoes located on multiple continents, from Cotopaxi in the Ecuadorian Andes to Mount Fuji in Japan, including Vesuvius in Italy and Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Each site demonstrates different geological processes: stratovolcanoes like Mount Saint Helens and Etna produce explosive eruptions, while Hawaiian shield volcanoes generate flowing lava that can travel long distances. The selection also includes sites that have marked history through their destructive power, such as Krakatoa, whose 1883 eruption caused tens of thousands of casualties, or Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii and Herculaneum in AD 79. Other volcanoes like Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull have recently shown their ability to disrupt human activities globally. These locations offer insight into how volcanic activity shapes landscapes and influences nearby populations.
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