At 8:32 AM on 18 May 1980, Mount Saint Helens violently erupted in the most destructive volcanic eruption in US history. The blast hurled debris at speeds of more than 500 mph (800 km/h), instantly transforming the vibrant forest into a barren wasteland. Ashfall from the eruption was reported as far away as Oklahoma and Ontario (the one in Canada, not the one in California). Over 40 years later, the present-day landscape remains eerily frozen in time, still resembling a moonscape instead of a forest. It's an ominous reminder of the explosive and violent geologic history that lies largely concealed under such a beautiful state.
