For many people who lived through the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens, it is the biggest news story of their lifetimes. 45 years ago, the mountain that had been rumbling for months exploded, sending millions of tons of rock and debris skyward. The eruption blocked out the sun in parts of central and eastern Washington, and sent massive waves of instantly-melted snow and millions blasted trees down river valleys. 57 people died that day - many of them instantly. Washington Emergency Managemen

This week, all volcanoes in the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon are at normal background levels of activity. Current Volcano Alert Level: NORMAL Current Aviation Color Code: GREEN Weekly Update: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP/volcano-updates#cvo Past Week Observations: Small earthquakes were detected at Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens. All monitoring data are consistent with background activity levels in the Cascade Range. Deep beneath the volcano's surface, gases are dissolved in m

Keep hiking along the Naches Loop Trail, and you'll start to notice chunks of dark granite scattered throughout the green bedrock. Where did that magma come from, and how old is it compared to Mount Rainier? | Cascade PBS